Racing: Few clues as Perry Mason scrutinises Northern case

Aaron Kuru rides Perry Mason to Hunt Cup win. Photo / Kirsten Ledington

Even the old time television lawyer Perry Mason couldn't currently get out of Paul Nelson whether the Hawke's Bay trainer will run the equine Perry Mason in the Great Northern Steeplechase on Saturday week.

Nelson makes careful decisions and refuses to be rushed into committing Perry Mason to the feature steeplechase, even if it's being run at Te Aroha and not with its traditional three times over the fearsome Ellerslie Hill.

Perry Mason destroyed most of the opposition he'd meet in the Great Northern when he trampled on the field in Saturday's $50,000 Pakuranga Hunt Cup, making it a difficult decision to turn your back on the big race.

"But it's a long way further in the Northern, so we'll give him time to tell us how he's come through this race," said Nelson yesterday. One certainty is Perry Mason will have weathered the race significantly better than those who finished behind him.

Thanks to a picture perfect ride from the astute Aaron Kuru, Perry Mason covered less ground than any of his rivals and finished Saturday's race with relative ease.

It hadn't meant to work out that way. Nelson was fearful of the extremely testing conditions and asked Kuru to track wide in search of the best footing in the final round. "But I found some unused footing hard against the inside going down the back the last time, so I stuck to it," said Kuru.

Nelson said he would not make a Great Northern decision before the weekend. "Why would I, we don't have to nominate until next Tuesday." But there was an encouraging first sign. When we called Nelson mid afternoon yesterday he was staring at Perry Mason atop a nearby hillside on the property.

"To be honest he looks better than he did yesterday. He'll go on the walker tomorrow and perhaps do a bit of easy work on Tuesday." A year or two back the jumping game looked to be on the wane, but this year at least there appears to be an abundance of talent coming in at the bottom end and gaining experience for next winter. Nelson agrees. "There is currently a lot of interest in it, but we are stopping the [jumping] season far too early."

• In horse racing terms it's doubtful there would be more distance between Group 1 victories in France and Australia and a maiden hurdles at Te Aroha, but Gallante made the transition in his jumping debut.

Guided by Aaron Kuru Gallante won by a wide margin on Saturday.

• Matamata trainer Graham Richardson surprised everyone - although he excludes himself - by winning the open hurdles at Te Aroha with $60 chance Letmeby.

Australian rider Braidon Small said he had a couple of tentative Australian rides on Saturday week and would later decided whether to come back for the Northern assignment.