Racing: Grand ride gives double to Swagger

Jonathan Riddell was one of the Grand National Hurdles heroes at Riccarton yesterday but saw himself as a villain.

Riddell, ever the perfectionist, blamed himself for the disappointing run of Just A Swagger in the Sydenham Hurdles on the first day of the Canterbury meeting last Saturday.

Just A Swagger, consequently, drifted in favour for yesterday's $60,000 Grand National Hurdles and started the fifth favourite in a field of 10. He returned a win dividend of $11.85.

Just A Swagger finished seventh of nine runners in the Sydenham and New Zealand's top jumps jockey was blunt when assessing his ride.

"I rode him bad on Saturday," Riddell said.

"I got him buried but didn't go forward when I should have.

"I thought there would be more pace in the race. In the end it was run slowly. The whole thing just didn't work out."

Just A Swagger continued a great run of form for Riddell and Hawkes Bay trainer Paul Nelson.

This year the pair have won the Manawatu and Hawkes Bay Steeplechases with star jumper No Hero, who will be a hot favourite for the $60,000 Grand National Steeplechase on Saturday.

Riddell also completed the past season with 14 jumps wins to share the 2004-05 jumps' premiership honours with Isaac Lupton.

Just A Swagger's win completed a Grand National Hurdles double.

He won the event last year and is just the fourth horse in more than half a century to win the race in consecutive years.

The other three were Bart's Best (1995-96), Eiffel Tower (1966-67) and Padishah (1938-39).

Nelson said it was too soon to consider attempting a Grand National hat-trick. A more immediate focus was the Great Northern Hurdles at Ellerslie in September.

"We'll aim at going to the Northern and play it by ear after that."

Nelson, one of New Zealand's genuine jumping enthusiasts, has done a fine job with Just A Swagger.

He only acquired the horse 18 months ago as a maiden but the Just A Dancer 8-year-old gelding has now won four times. Just A Swagger cost $1500 and yesterday's winning stake of $37,500 took his career earnings to $105,000.

Riddell had Just A Swagger handy in the running throughout the 4200m journey.

He trailed leader Our Front Line for much of the race and was right behind the favourite Van Winkle when he went to the front with 1000m to run.

At the top of the straight, with 400m to run, Just A Swagger had got the better of Van Winkle and only had to negotiate the last fence for victory. Just A Swagger scored by 4 1/4 lengths from Van Winkle. Riddell said everything fell into place for Just A Swagger.

"He jumped every fence well and I knew we would out-tough Van Winkle. I was quietly confident before the race."

Van Winkle, who started at about $2.70 to win, raced in about second or third most of the way but was over-racing when outside the leader with a round to go.

Wanganui trainer JJ Rayner said the horse's keenness cost him.

"He pulled too hard," she said. "We should have started him on the first day to take the edge off him."

Third was Penny Rose who fought well to be three-quarters of a length behind Van Winkle. Penny Rose settled at the back but was on the improve down the back straight and was third with 1000m to run.

The remainder were well beaten. There was a gap of 37 lengths to fourth-placed Rigo Flight who never threatened while the second favourite, Blakes Boy, was fifth.

Isaac Lupton, the rider of Blakes Boy, said that even though the horse had good form in heavy tracks he found the conditions unsuitable.

Third favourite Drizzle fell with about 1800m to run when handy in the running. Rider Tom Hazlett said it was too far from the finish to tell how he might have gone.

Stablemates Midnight Opal and High Season were pulled up when too far back in the running while Artax fell in the early stages.

- NZPA