Racing: Failed finish won't stop Laekeeper

Punters get a chance to recoup their losses on Laekeeper (left) in the Grand National Hurdles today. Photo / Trish Dunell

Few things in racing inspire punter confidence less than a last-start failed to finish.

But trainer Simon Rees thinks Laekeeper losing rider Emily Farr in the Sydenham Hurdle just four days ago might actually benefit him in today's $75,000 Grand National at Riccarton.

Both Farr and Laekeeper emerged unscathed from Saturday's incident in which Laekeeper was inconvenienced by a race rival today in No Change when the latter fell at the top of the straight.

Rees says his horse and rider being healthy is the most important factor but once that was established, he saw a silver lining to the cloud.

"The horse is fine and so is Emily so that was the first thing," says Rees.

"And afterwards we were thinking: at least he didn't have to slug it out up the straight with the 70kgs.

"He was going really well and Emily was just about to launch him when he baulked at the other horse falling.

"But he didn't have a hard run because he never got a chance to dig deep in the last 400m.

"So he had a run to get fit but without hurting himself, so we are trying to look at it as a positive rather than a bad thing."

Punters who backed Laekeeper into favouritism may not share Rees's thoughts but they get a chance to recoup their losses today in the 130th running of the jumping classic.

Laekeeper was second to Jackfrost in the National last year and Rees is adamant he is stronger this season.

"We were a bit behind the eight ball at the start of the season after he injured himself but he has come up really well now.

"And he settled better on Saturday with the stronger bit on, which he will wear again [today].

"So we think he can win, especially if the track gets a little better."

Riccarton was rated a Heavy10 last night, which hardly sounds like a lot of fun but it is still better than the Heavy11 last Saturday and Rees is hoping for no rain today.

"That didn't help us last year when it rained an hour before the race. So a better track will."

For Rees a National win would be a dream come true as Laekeeper's victory in the Sydenham Hurdle last season is the 55-year-old's career highlight so far. "I have always loved horses and used to ride them around the roads as a kid.

"But now the training side of things is really growing. I have five horses in work, four of them racing and I have room for more.

"I am loving it and even though I am 55, in terms of my training career I am only a youngster.

"But to win a really big race, like this, that will be amazing for me."

As good as Laekeeper was travelling when he lost Farr on Saturday he will still need to be at his peak today to beat Guy Fox and perhaps even more so Bad Boy Brown, who quinellaed the Sydenham.

Guy Fox's win was impressive after he swept up from last and the deciding factor was probably how he took the last fence, which Bad Boy Brown lost momentum at.

Guy Fox has a new rider though with Kayla Veenendaal taking over from the injured Mathew Gillies. Veenendaal is no stranger to the son of the remarkable stallion Zed, having being placed in all four rides on Guy Fox.

Bad Boy Brown travelled wide for much of the Sydenham Hurdles after over-racing early and was still coming back at Guy Fox on the line so shapes as the horse to beat today.

Today's meeting hosts a Pick6 guaranteed to $200,000 and with $113,000 in carry forward money in the pool it could well touch $250,000.

But with an amateur rider's race and three maiden events in the Riccarton Pick6 it looks a painful puzzle for punters.

National Day

• The 130th Grand National Hurdles will be run at Riccarton today.

• Laekeeper is looking to go one better than last season, just four days after losing his rider in a lead-up race.

• Today's meeting hosts a very rare mid-week Pick6 guarantee of $200,000.