Racing: Monarch Chimes tuning up for Great Northern Hurdles

Trainer David Browne is aiming promising hurdler Monarch Chimes at the Great Northern Hurdles. Photo / Trish Dunell

Monarch Chimes' trainers aren't concerned about their rising jumping star going a month between runs in his build-up to the Great Northern Hurdles.

The Cambridge six-year-old is unbeaten over the smaller fences and David and Emma-Lee Browne are happy to keep him ticking over at home until the Harrison Lane Hurdle on August 26.

"He'll run at the Pakuranga Hunt meeting next and it might be quite a long time between runs from his last race, but we think that will suit him best," Emma-Lee Browne said.

Monarch Chimes will then return to Ellerslie to tackle the Schweppes Great Northern Hurdles on September 9.

"He doesn't cop a lot of racing and we don't want to run him on the flat somewhere just for the sake of it," Browne said. "He thrives on confidence and that's at a high at the moment."

Monarch Chimes was an easy debut hurdle winner at Te Aroha early last month and he then comfortably accounted for the reigning Grand National Hurdle winner Ngario and the capable Raisafuasho at Rotorua.

"He's been really good and obviously it's a step up every time and hopefully he can carry on," Browne said.

The stable has known for some time that the Shinko King gelding had a bright future over fences after regular schooling him at home.

"A couple of years ago David told one of the owners Dave Fullerton not to worry when his flat career finished, he would be jumping then," Browne said.

Meanwhile, promising stablemate Mofara has progressed well following a trial outing at Te Teko last week.

Fourth in last season's Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes on debut, Mofara hasn't raced since the Iffraaj colt finished second behind the unbeaten Bostonian at Hastings in April.

- NZ Racing Desk.