Racing: Massive task for Hypnotize

Fans will be spellbound if Hypnotize can make it three in a row over Ellerslie's famous test of stamina tomorrow.

As a jockey Raymond Connors had four or five rides in the Great Northern Steeplechase.

Which means he knows he has at least one positive going for him when he parades Hypnotize as part owner and trainer as the remarkable 'chaser attempts to do a Hunterville in tomorrow's $85,000 Kiwi Bacon Great Northern Steeplechase at Ellerslie.

It's known as outright stamina.

Every year it's easy to forget that New Zealand's longest race with its three times over the fearsome Ellerslie Hill requires stamina levels that are simply not normal.

Hunterville had stamina in spades as he carved himself a piece of history, becoming the first and, as yet, the only horse to win three consecutive Great Northerns, in 1983, 84 and 85.

In attempting to equal that record this year, Hypnotize is going to be hampered by the rapidly-drying Ellerslie track.

Hypnotize needs not only all of the 6400m of the Northern to produce his best these days, he also greatly favours having wet, heavy conditions that make the race even more of a slog.

He won't get that as he tries to lump 69.5kg topweight, but his extraordinary staying ability will offset some of that.

How much it offsets it will decide the race.

From his experience of riding in Great Northerns, Connors knows he has one of the few horses in the race really capable of seeing out the distance at 100 per cent ability, but he's still worried.

"I only hope they don't go too fast for him," said Connors yesterday.

"When they sprint on the hill the last time I hope he's not too far away and can stay in touch with the leaders."

Last year's winning rider Isaac Lupton said he felt Hypnotize was 100 to 1 when the speed went on as the field took the first jump on top of the hill the last time.

But Hypnotize, as he will have to do this time, ground away and got the decision in the closing 50m.

"I hope they don't get him too flat early, although he always travels a bit better [keener] in a Northern than he does in any other race," said Connors.

"That's probably because the riders are thinking it's a long way and want to conserve energy."

Isaac Lupton, never one to get confident, sees the track condition as the only determining factor.

"If the track was wet I don't think they could have beaten him.

"Now, well, it's a bit different."

Hypnotize is now 10.

The 69.5kg is 3kg more than Hunterville carried in his third Great Northern, but that is a misleading statistic.

The minimum weight in Hunterville's year was 57kg and this year it's 63kg.

Last year, Hypnotize carried 68.5kg and beat Fair King (64kg) by 2.4 lengths with Franconero splitting the pair.

This time the difference between the pair is only .5kg and Fair King has not won a race in the meantime.

It cannot be said Hypnotize will not have his chance to do a Hunterville.

The job was made a little easier with the withdrawal of Just A Swagger and Mali Juraj after Just A Swagger was retired after falling heavily at Paeroa on Wednesday and Mali Juraj was withdrawn on veterinary advice at the start after being judged to be sore.

Mali Juraj's trainer John Wheeler, in great form over the jumps, will rely on Volkswagin, second at Paeroa midweek.

"I hope he can do something in a race like this because he is the slowest horse you've ever seen on the flat.

"You can kick your hat around faster than he can run, yet he's by Volksraad.

"He needs to be an outstanding jumper to make up for it."

GREAT NORTHERN

* Hypnotize is trying to equal the great Hunterville's winning treble in tomorrow's big race.
* He is in with a great chance to achieve it, but the drying track will do him no favours.
* Balancing that will be Hypnotize's great stamina.