The Shackler has only been in Nelson's stable since the beginning of this year and he said this week he was still trying to work the horse out. The Istidaad gelding was the winner of eight races on the flat when trained in the north by Michael Dromgool and is owned by Cambridge-based Shaun Dromgool.
The horse is now likely to have his next start in a restricted open hurdle race at Te Aroha on June 25.
Nelson's elation after filling two of the first three placings in the maiden hurdle turned to anguish when his charge Kings Deep was denied a fair chance in the steeplechase.
Kings Deep and jockey Shaun Phelan had taken a clear lead in the steeplechase when the riderless horse, Highly Likely, tried to run him off approaching one of the fences on the figure-eight course and then side-swiped him as he was about to set himself for the next obstacle, punching Phelan out of the saddle.
It was the second time in the race that Highly Likely had extinguished the chances of another runner. Saturday's race was an open flag start and, as starter Garry Phillips called the horse's into line, the fractious Highly Likely was being led up by a barrier attendant. When the start was effected the horse suddenly veered sideways and cannoned into Lonely Boy, dislodging the riders of both horses before they had even gone a couple of strides.
The riderless Highly Likely then continued on amongst the remaining four runners in the race, causing riders to take evasive action as he hurdled an inside rail to join the fray at one stage and ran around erratically before finally taking Kings Deep out of commission.
Fortunately for all concerned, none of the jockeys or horses were seriously injured in the mayhem although Highly Likely did suffer some abrasions and was found to be lame in his right hind leg. Stewards advised his connections that a veterinary clearance must be produced before the horse could race again and he has now been placed on the warning list with regards to open starts.
Stewards ruled that Lonely Boy be declared a late scratching as the horse wasn't afforded a fair start in the race but Kings Deep was declared a runner, despite his chances being extinguished through no fault of his own.
Walk up flag starts have been the norm for steeplechase races at Trentham since the inception of the inside figure-eight course many years ago and there have been relatively few problems in that time. However, the Racing Integrity Unit will now be making recommendations to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing that, where possible, steeplechase races should be started from the official starting barriers.
Paul Nelson said this week Kings Deep escaped unscathed from last Saturday's incident and he would return to Trentham tomorrow for the Manawatu Steeplechase (4000m).
"He was lucky the other horse was practically side on when it hit him so it didn't do him any harm," Nelson said.
Despite all the chaos early in the race the finish proved very exciting with the remaining four horses all in with a winning chance as they joined back up with the course proper for the final 300m run to the line.
Race favourite Just Ishi held a slight advantage over the other three as he jumped the last fence and was able to work clear in the run to the line to score by 3 lengths from The Oysterman, with another 1-1/4 lengths to third placed The Fox and a further 1-1/2 lengths back to fourth placed Wilbur.
Just Ishi, who is trained at Awapuni by Gail Temperton, was recording his second steeplechase victory from only three starts over the big fences and will now be aimed at the $50,000 Animal Health Direct Hawke's Bay Steeplechase (4800m) at Hastings on July 1.
Paul Nelson started this year's jumping season with a winning double when Rocky and Ooee took out the two hurdle races at Hastings on May 11.
But not a lot went right for the trainer during that month. His good performer San Pedro, winner of 10 races and more than $138,000 in stakemoney, died suddenly during a workout on his property. Rocky sustained an injury soon after his hurdle win which has ruled him out for the rest of the year and then Zardetto and Second Innings, two other well performed jumpers in the Nelson stable, also suffered injuries that will prevent them from racing again until at least next year.
Loving life on the farm
Farm life is certainly agreeing with Hastings-trained Wait A Sec as the horse has been in the form of his life in recent months with three wins and two thirds from his last five starts.
The Postponed six-year-old scored a dominant three- length win in a $25,000 Rating 85 race over 2100 metres at Te Rapa last Saturday, his second consecutive victory after he also took out a 1550m race at Awapuni three weeks before.
Wait A Sec is prepared by Hastings trainers Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen and has now won seven races from 36 starts. His latest run of form is mainly attributed to him being worked around the hills and paddocks of a farm property, just north of Dannevirke, which is owned by Cullen's partner Nikki Lourie.
Wait A Sec does the majority of his work on the farm, only occasionally coming to the Hastings track for faster work.
"He seems to be thriving down on the farm...he's a happy horse and that's showing in his form," Cullen said.
Wait A Sec could hardly have been more impressive when winning at Te Rapa last Saturday.
Jockey Samantha Collett settled the horse towards the rear in a solidly run race before starting to improve his position with 800 metres to run. Wait A Sec cruised around the field to be in a challenging position, wide out, on the home turn and seized a winning break soon after.
Collett kept her mount up to the mark over the final stages and he raced away for a decisive victory over Francis Drake, with Jochen Rindt third.
Wait A Sec is owned by his Hastings breeder Ian Henderson, who races him in partnership with his Perth-based son Paul.
Guy Lowry believes the patience of the gelding's owners is finally being rewarded.
"He seems to have come of age this time in as he has taken a while to mature," Lowry said.
"He showed plenty of ability early on and ran Kawi close one day at Trentham, but he's always been a little weak. His owners have been fantastic and allowed us to be patient with him and they are now reaping the rewards of that."
Lowry believes his charge is now at the stage of this campaign where he can cope with most track conditions although he is wary of flattening the horse with too many runs on the deep winter surfaces.
"He handles most tracks but we don't see him as a true winter galloper," he said.
"I had thought of a race like the Taumarunui Cup as a good target but with it being run at Rotorua it might just be too deep there for him.
"There are still some nice races at Te Rapa coming up so he is likely to have one or two more runs before we put him away for a short break.
"The New Zealand Cup is the sort of race that will suit him so with that in mind he can have a rest soon as you can't keep peaking them all the way to November."
Tarzino Trophy first up
Quality mare Let Her Rip is likely to kick off a spring campaign in the Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (formerly the Makfi Challenge Stakes) at Hastings at the end of August.
The Cambridge-trained mare is currently spelling after earning a break with an all-important black type success with a last start victory in the Group 3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) on May 21.
"She's having a month off and later on we'll look to give her a quiet trial somewhere and probably run in the Tarzino Trophy first-up, she's got a great fresh record," trainer Shaune Ritchie said.
"If she strikes a wet track at Hastings it wouldn't worry her at all."
The daughter of Rip Van Winkle has won five races on tracks ranging from good to heavy.
Kiwifruit Cup for Pacorus
Pacorus, part-owned by Hawke's Bay couple Dave and Jenny Morison, is likely to have his next start in the $40,000 Orora Kiwi Packaging Kiwifruit Cup (2200m) at Tauranga tomorrow week.
The five-year-old Tavistock gelding, trained at Cambridge by Chris Wood, has thrived since finishing third in the Wanganui Cup at his last run and Wood is keen to pick up the feature staying event at Tauranga after the horse was a comprehensive winner in Rating 75 company on the same day 12 months ago.