Racing: Entrancing treble on cards

Hypnotize will relish the heavy track tomorrow. Photo / Supplied

We say it every year, with just cause, tomorrow's Great Northern Steeplechase at Ellerslie is about just one element - staying power.

And Hypnotize has the market cornered.

Take a look at the recent winners of Australasia's longest and toughest horse race and it's remarkable to be reminded that if Hypnotize had won last year's Great Northern, instead of finishing second to Fair King, tomorrow he'd be shooting for a record four straight wins in the famous race, even though weight would have become more of an issue.

What helped beat Hypnotize last year was a track rated just dead.

Tracks can never be too heavy for Hypnotize, though Ellerslie tomorrow is going to be close to as heavy as it can get.

Many jumping enthusiasts believe we will never again see a steeplechaser to join Brookby Song, Smoke Ring, Eiffel Tower and Hunterville.

Hypnotize is as good as you are going to get.

Not since someone poured tonic in a gin for the first time has there been a better match than Hypnotize and the Great Northern Steeplechase.

His stamina is truly remarkable and this is a race that's about nothing else.

Last year's winner, Fair King, is the huge improver.

He peaked on his run with two fences to run when fourth in the lead-up Pakuranga Hunt Cup on August 21 and will be fitter for this.

Trainer Ann Browne showed she could time Fair King's preparation perfectly when the classy jumper finished third in last year's Pakuranga Hunt Cup and improved enough to win the Northern.

In literal terms, Hypnotize has gone up from 70kg in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup to only 70.5kg, but handicapper Dean Nowell dropped Fair King 1kg, so the net effect is going up 1.5kg.

Which means it will be no day at the beach for Hypnotize, but watch his incredible stamina come into effect late in the race.

Brushman looked good finishing third to Hypnotize in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup in his first look at Ellerslie and the famous hill.

He can only improve and with his ability to handle the heaviest ground, and trainer Mark Oulaghan's talent for getting his horses super fit for the big occasions, he rates highly.

The interesting runner is Mali Juraj, who last start finished third to Morsonique in the Grand National Steeples at Sandown and who earlier finished second to stablemate Volkswagin in the Grand Annual at Warrnambool.

Trainer John Wheeler says he expects the horse to be "somewhere around them".

"He's no superstar, but he's a good tough horse and he doesn't mind if you serve it up to him.

"He's not a big robust horse, but his toughness will get him a long way."

TEST OF STAMINA

2002: Golden Flare, Clayton Chipperfield, Raylene Whiteside.
2003: Golden Flare, Clayton Chipperfield, Raylene Whiteside.
2004: Wanderlust, Michelle Hopkins, Ann & Ken Browne.
2005: Just The Man, Joanne Rathbone, Davina Waddell.
2006: Real Tonic, Brett Scott, John Wheeler.
2007: Hypnotize, Isaac Lupton, Raymond Connors.
2008: Hypnotize, Isaac Lupton, Raymond Connors.
2009: Fair King, James Gillies, Ann Browne.