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Mr Mor’s bid for a third consecutive Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase title hasn’t gone entirely to plan, but his trainers remain confident of a bold showing on Saturday.

The veteran jumper’s most recent race day efforts have been encouraging with a third placing at Hastings followed by a last-start second behind The Big Opal in the Waikato Steeplechase.

However, it has been events since then that have deviated from the ideal build-up.

“He missed a run on the flat the other day, which would have helped a lot,” said Evan Rayner, who prepares the rising 12-year-old with his daughter J.J.

“He was going to go to Otaki, but he was third on the ballot and didn’t get a start. He’s also had a cut on his leg, although that should hopefully be fine.”

Mr Mor will be partnered at Hastings this weekend by Matthew Cropp, who guided the gelding into a runner-up finish behind Upper Cut in last year’s Grand National Steeplechase at Riccarton.

“The horse has been working well and his last run was good,” Rayner said. “He schooled yesterday and Matt rode him and he was very pleased.”

Meanwhile, Rayner said their stable star Start Wondering had returned home to spell after a frustrating time at the Queensland winter carnival.

The six-year-old was unplaced in both of his starts on rain-affected going and a virus subsequently cut short his campaign.

Start Wondering won both the Gr.1 Railway Stakes and the Gr.1 NRM Sprint and was runner-up in the Gr.1 Telegraph during his last domestic campaign and those races will again be future targets for the gelding.