New Zealander Brett Scott achieved one of his racing ambitions when Karasi won the world's richest jumps race, the 152 million yen ($1.98 million) Nakayama Grand Jump (4250m) in Japanyesterday.
Karasi, trained in Victoria by Eric Musgrove, led approaching the last fence, but lost the lead when he bungled the
jump. He recovered and under Scott's urgings got up to beat Japanese jumper Cheers Shining by 1 1/4 lengths, with another local contender, Laurel Royce, third.
New Zealand entrant Fontera, trained by Kevin Myers, failed to complete the course.
Musgrove had nothing but praise for Scott's ride after he settled Karasi perfectly in fourth and fifth place before hitting the lead approaching the home turn, Sky Channel reported. While the horse made a botch of the last fence, his recovery was so good he won drawing away.
Scott, who is foreman for Taranaki trainer John Wheeler's Victoria stable, was the regular jockey for Wheeler's horse St Steven, but he missed the horse's victory in the Grand Jump in 2002 because of injury. Craig Thornton, rider of Fontera, rode St Steven that day.
Karasi, an Irish bred 10-year-old, did his early racing in England before travelling to Australia in 1998.
He was a good performer on the flat, finishing fourth in Ethereal's 2001 Melbourne Cup and also racked up minor placings in Adelaide and Brisbane cups.
He won the Australian Hurdle and Grand National Hurdle last year.
- NZPA
