Racing: Expect speed race at end

John Wheeler has always had a big opinion of Brett Scott's advice.

But he has decided not to put too much emphasis on it for tomorrow's $100,000 Lindauer Great Northern Steeplechase.

Earlier this week Scott and Wheeler discussed the big-race chances of Real Tonic.

Scott knows the horse well: Real Tonic was under his care in the Melbourne arm of Wheeler's stable and he has ridden him to win a number of races.

"He would prefer a heavy track," Scott advised Wheeler. "Yes," replied Wheeler, "but so would the others."

Wheeler is unconcerned that the Ellerslie track is probably going to stay close to firm for the time-honoured jumps race.

"It will mean the race will come down a bit more to class. It won't be a grind and I'm reasonably comfortable with that."

Wheeler says Real Tonic could have won an open handicap on the flat if he hadn't thought so much of his jumping and turned him to hurdling as a relatively young horse.

"The way the conditions are it will be something of a speed race over the final stages, which sounds odd for a Great Northern.

"Unless it rains they'll run half a minute faster than they've ever run the race."

In such conditions Real Tonic and Bart should monopolise betting.

Bart is a dry-tracker who was not at all suited in very testing, heavy conditions in Wanderlust's Mercedes Great Northern run in June last year.

Bart, as usual, made most of the pace in that race and was collared on top of the hill on the last trip.

The dashing Cambridge fence won the replacement Northern Steeplechase at Ellerslie in June and with 65kg - 3kg above the minimum - he is not too badly off.

Having said that, every kilo is crucial at the end of such a gruelling race as he faces tomorrow with its three trips over the Hill.

He did well to win that June race. Rival jockeys seem to have formed the opinion that the way to beat him is to take him on in front a long way out.

They did that on several occasions, but Bart fought them off with his natural speed to stay clear and prove too strong in the run to the line.

It was a gutsy performance and if he produces the same effort he could figure in this finish, despite the extreme distance.

Wheeler has a live chance of taking the $70,000 Lindauer Great Northern Hurdles with High Season and Midnight Opal to represent him.

The key to both, says Wheeler, is the good track conditions.

The evidence of that is well documented in both horses failing to complete the course in very testing conditions in the Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton a few weeks back.

On improved footing High Season won at Ellerslie on Pakuranga Hunt day two weeks ago and Midnight Opal was close up third. "They're both big chances."

The better conditions again will suit Midnight Opal, who meets her stablemate 2kg better off this time.

She is a brilliant fencer, whose natural speed and agility is undone by heavy conditions.

Don't be fooled by the fact that earlier in the winter she won over hurdles at Ellerslie in heavy ground.

"I simply don't know how she won that race," says Wheeler. "She'd never won in bad ground in her life.

"It was only because of that win that I lined both of them up in the Grand National thinking well, maybe."

Great Northerns

Trainer John Wheeler has a live chance of lifting both Great Northerns tomorrow.

His Melbourne-based steeplechaser Real Tonic will start favourite for the Steeplechase, despite preferring slightly wetter conditions than he is likely to strike.

Wheeler is happy the race is unlikely to come down to a grind.

He has Midnight Opal and High Season in the Hurdles.