FOR the first time in almost a decade, the number of jumpers to have qualified to race in Victoria are at their most sustainable.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
When jumps racing was on its knees in 2009, it appeared unlikely that the specialist facet of racing would ever reach horse numbers of days gone by but figures provided to The Standard show horses qualified to jump have nearly doubled in a year.
The overall figures reveal 126 horses were qualified to run in jumping races up to March 21, 2018, compared to 67 horses to the same time last year. A further breakdown shows 28 horses were qualified to compete in steeplechase races this year on March 21, while there were only 11 to the same stage last year. Hurdle numbers have increased from 56 last year to 98 to the March 21 date.
Champion jumps trainer Eric Musgrove said the increases show jumps racing has a strong foundation for the future.
“The figures are wonderful news for jumps racing,” Musgrove said.
“The sport is starting to turn around. It’s taken a lot of hard work by lots of people but the hard work is starting to pay dividends. Jumps racing in 2018 is entirely different to the sport in 2009. It’s a lot safer now as horses and jockeys are well educated but we can’t rest on our laurels we’ve got to keep on looking at ways to improve the sport and make sure it continues to develop and prosper. There’s always going to be incidents and accidents but we’ve got to confront those issues when they arise.”
Meanwhile, Musgrove praised the Warrnambool Racing Club for introducing a $50,000 novice steeplechase on the Wednesday of next month’s May Racing Carnival.
“It’s a great move by the Warrnambool Racing Club to add the novice steeplechase on the middle day,” he said.
“They should be congratulated for showing the initiative to put the race on. The novice steeplechase means two jumps races are programmed for each day of the carnival and it really bolsters the three-day event as a jumping carnival. I’m confident they will get good numbers for the restricted steeplechase as it gives the jumpers that are not up to the Grand Annual or Brierly Steeplechase standard a chance to get more seasoned for next year’s carnival.”
Musgrove, who has won the Warrnambool Grand Annual Steeplechase on two occasions, with Hibernian Prince in 2001 and 2002, may have two runners in this year’s 5500 metre race.
“It’s still a few weeks out from this year’s Grand Annual but I’ve got Abebe and Zataglio penciled in at this stage,” he said. “Abebe won the Classic Hurdle at Oakbank on Easter Saturday and Zataglio was successful in a restricted steeplechase. Both horses are tough, fit jumpers and that’s what you need to win jumps races at the carnival and they have schooled strongly around Warrnambool which is another bonus but I’ll just monitor their progress over the next few weeks before making a final decision.”
The respected horseman acknowledged that Patrick Payne’s jumpers Zed Em and No Song No Supper hold all the aces for this year’s Grand Annual.
“Patrick was a champion jockey and is now a brilliant trainer,” Musgrove said.
“It’s pretty obvious Zed Em and No Song No Supper are the ones to beat after filling the first two placings in the Great Eastern Steeplechase.”
This year’s carnival is on May 1 to 3.
Top job
DUNKELD Racing Club has shortlisted four people to interview for its club manager job.
Karen Van Kempen, who has filled the role for 14 years notified the club last month that she wished to retire from the position. The club has had a great response from people interested in the job when it was advertised but it has since reduced the list to four candidates. It’s expected the club will make an announcement within the next few weeks. Van Kempen stands down from the job on July 31 but has offered to help the new club manager with organising this year’s race meeting.
Community
TERANG Racing Club is throwing the gates open for CFA and SES volunteers and their families along with 60 families that have been directly affected by the St Patrick’s Day fires to the Terang Cup on Sunday. The racing club, with support from the Victorian state government, Racing Victoria and Country Racing Victoria will also offer free transport, free children’s entertainment, free food and drinks to the groups. Counsellors and services from the mental health teams at Let’s Talk and Rural Communities Mental Health Services will be in attendance at the meeting.
The day will culminate with funds from the supporting organisations being donated back to the local CFA and SES groups in recognition of their amazing efforts fighting the fires.
Preparation
BRIERLY Steeplechase hopeful Dormello Mo will run in a steeplechase at Pakenham this Sunday before the feature jumping race on the first day of the Warrnambool May Carnival.
Trainer Simon Ryan said Dormello Mo had trained on strongly after running third in the Von Doussa Steeplechase at Oakbank last month.
“He needs the run at Pakenham to top him off for the Brierly,” Ryan said. “I was happy with his run in the Von Doussa – he’s done great since the Von Doussa. The 3200 metres at Pakenham should have him ready to run the 3450 metres in the Brierly.”
The French-bred jumper failed in last year’s Brierly before going on to win his next three jumps starts.
