Equestrian: Fit Fair King pleases Gillies

Fair King (foreground) will be hard to beat in The Mad Butcher Pakuranga Hunt Cup at Ellerslie tomorrow. Photo / Greg Bowker

Waikato hoop Jamie Gillies goes into tomorrow's $35,000 The Mad Butcher Pakuranga Hunt Cup at Ellerslie hoping for better luck than last year.

Gillies and tomorrow's pre-race favourite Fair King nearly sold out in the early stages of last year's Hunt Cup.

"Corey Parish fell in front of us at the first jump down the back straight and we were gone," said Gillies yesterday.

"I was over the side, but I managed to put myself back in the saddle."

From well back in the field, Fair King made ground solidly into third in that race then next start won the big one, the Great Northern Steeplechase.

Gillies' concern this time is with weight.

Last year, Fair King carried 64.5kg in both the Pakuranga Hunt Cup and Great Northern - tomorrow he has 66.6kg.

"That extra 2kg could prove to be very important."

But Gillies knows he's on a very fit and capable horse.

Fair King hasn't faced a steeplechase fence since the Great Northern last year, but his form in the major hurdle races has been excellent.

Last month, he finished third to Solid Steal and Spirit Of Alaton in the Wellington Hurdles, something a specialist steeplechaser probably shouldn't be able to do.

"I went out to Mrs Browne's [trainer Anne Browne] this morning to pop him over a few steeplechase fences and he jumped them fine.

"He hasn't been asked to jump a big fence since the Great Northern.

"That's Mrs Browne's method - she jumps him over a couple of big fences once a year at home.

"He feels just as good as he was last year, if not just a bit better."

Brushman will represent Awapuni trainer Mark Oulaghan, who can do no wrong. He was something of a freshman on the fringes of the big time until he won the Wellington Steeplechase last start.

In that race, the rest of the field were almost out on their feet in the closing stages, but Brushman kept grinding away to win, which means today's tough 4900m will not be an issue.

The Ellerslie Hill may be. Brushman has yet to race there and Oulaghan says for that reason he has an open mind about how the gelding will cope.

"Having not gone over the hill previously is the big question.

"He handles wet ground, he jumps well and he's a good relaxed horse. We'll have to wait and see how he copes with the hill."

Brushman is on trial for the Great Northern next month.

"If he handles the hill we'll bring him back for the big one. If he doesn't, we'll have to reassess things."

In terms of sheer ability Climbing High is as good as anything around.

He has often chanced the odd jump, but lately his jumping seems to have, overall, dropped a level.

Not jumping cleanly cost him dearly in the Wellington Steeplechase and he was at it again at Paeroa when beaten favourite (fourth) last start. He also has to give Fair King weight.

Hypnotize has not jumped on raceday since finishing second to Fair King in last year's Great Northern so is likely to improve with this run, particularly under 70kg.

HUNT CUP
* Fair King was unluckily beaten in this race last year.

* He finished third then went on to win the Great Northern Steeplechase at his next start.

* Fair King has gone up 2kg and that will make it harder, but watch out if he's close to them on the hill the last time.