Racing: Great Northern may be out for Proposition

Ben Foote. Photo / APN

Unlike every other steeplechase winner at the moment, Saturday's Manawatu Steeples victor Proposition may not be a runner in the big one, the Great Northern.

That's the opinion, anyway, of part owner Ben Foote after Proposition came out in his first jumping start in 800 days and lasted a tough slog.

Connections want to concentrate, at least this jumping season, on other targets.

Proposition looked as good as any 'chaser around a couple of seasons back when Foote trained the horse himself. But a niggling tendon issue sidelined him and then, when brought back last winter, the issue became obvious again.

Foote sent the horse to Hawkes Bay to be prepared by Paul Nelson, who did a good job on the horse's fitness on a meagre raceday preparation.

"He actually won quite easily even though he looked to have a decent fight with Tobouggie Nights," said Foote.

Foote says former racecaller Keith Haub and his other owners can simply turn up and accept the trophies without having to worry about the training.

"It's a whole lot easier," he says.

Those trophies may include the Hawkes Bay Steeplechase and Riccarton's Grand National.

An abandoned Paeroa winter race meeting would generally mean little in the scheme of things.

In terms of history, Saturday's cancellation might prove to be critical.

James McDonald looked poised to have another massive day. Four winners were likely, perhaps five.

That lost ground, unable to be replaced, will be stripped from McDonald's seasonal record, where he is looking to leave his indelible footprint in New Zealand.

That record, still likely to be around 212 to 215, perhaps slightly more, will still be extremely difficult to exceed, but that type of record, with the proliferation of racing, is always there to be broken.

How significant might another four or five tacked on prove to be in a few years' time.

English racing! You have to wonder.

We saw So You Think beaten midweek when he never should have been.

And then you watch Aussie sprinter Star Witness try to cope with conditions totally foreign to him and rider Steven Arnold.

Eighteen sprinters spread right across the Ascot course proper - how can a jockey possibly ride a tactical race.

Star Witness should have won the King's Stand on Wednesday morning instead of being beaten a neck coming from last after a tardy start.

In yesterday morning's Golden Jubilee, Arnold put him in the race, unfortunately on a track that seemed a second and a half faster on one side than the other. Star Witness led and was run down, finishing third.

It's accepted that if you race in a foreign country, you have to adapt, but run both races under Australian conditions and style and Star Witness wins both, which doesn't say an awful lot about the Pommie sprinters.

Star Witness is classy, but he's three lengths off Hay List, who is three to four lengths off Black Caviar.

What would either of those two have done to the Poms?

It's fair enough that the Racing Post bloggers bagged Steven Arnold because English riders cop their share in Australia.

"How is Steven Arnold allowed to ride a horse, he is absolutely pathetic," said Tedgold, UK. "Any other jockey would have done an Ascot double on Star Witness, what a joke."

Barry McGrew, UK, defended Arnold. "Oh dear, the armchair jockeys are out in force again. Arnold put Star Witness 'in the race' for the best chance." Dailamy, from Bulgaria, added: "[A] two lengths lead in the final furlong and finished third. Funny jockey."

Which begs the question - how do they ride them in Bulgaria?

The Hombre is returning home from Queensland and trainer John Bary is scratching his head.

Last year's Queensland carnival winner tailed the field in Saturday's A$200,000 Ipswich Cup.

Clearly something internal is amiss after The Hombre was badly battered in a home turn incident in the Premier's Cup at Doomben on May 28.

Cambridge mare Arcenciel also failed to raise a gallop, finishing 11th as favourite after a dashing Australian debut win at the Sunshine Coast.

Slightly saving the day for New Zealand was Michael Walker's talented front-running ride on the winner Gold In Dubai.