Racing: Pythagoras follows Te Rapa philosophy

Pythagoras will continue his comeback at Te Rapa on Saturday. Photo: Trish Dunell

Pythagoras made a promising start to his steeplechase career three years ago and the nine-year-old has made a return to the fences to try to pick up where he left off.

The Peter and Jessica Brosnan-trained gelding won his first two steeplechase starts but subsequently suffered some leg issues that resulted in an extended hiatus from racing.

"We brought him up the next year after he won the two races in a row, when we had the lockdown, and we kept him in work," said Jessica Brosnan yesterday.

"His tendon didn't really stand-up, so we put him out and he missed that winter and then we thought we would give him extra time. He plodded around and did a few shows with one of the girls here and did hunting with me.

"He has been in work after jumps day last year, so he has done a fair amount of work."

The son of Pentire pleased his connections with his trial last month, however, his return to racing didn't get off to the best start after he fell in the Poverty Bay Hunt Ferguson Gold Cup (4000m) earlier this month.

"He is a lot more forward than we thought for Hastings. He didn't have a jumping race for three years, but he has done a lot of hunting," Brosnan said.

"Since he had a jumping trial at Rotorua a few weeks ago he found a new lease on life and feels a lot better within himself. He is quite an awkward horse and is a bit of a barrier rogue. He is not an easy horse but he has got some talent there."

Brosnan said Pythagoras has come through the race well and will have one final hit-out at Te Rapa today before a likely tilt at the Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) at the Hamilton track on Saturday.

"He has come out of it pretty well. He is going to have a jump around Te Rapa [today] just to get his eye in," she said.

"We will get more of a line on him after Saturday. He has got to get around and get a bit of confidence, too," she said.

"We know he can do it, it is just getting that little bit of confidence and getting some points on the board and money in the bank."

While the Waikato Steeplechase remains his primary goal this weekend, Brosnan said Pythagoras could make an appearance in the SVS Hurdle (2800m).

"I have put Pythagoras in the maiden hurdle if we can't find a suitable rider. He may have a canter around in the maiden hurdle but ideally we want to go for the steeplechase," she said.

Brosnan is also looking forward to lining up Blanco Bay and Meant To Be in the Ken And Roger Browne Memorial Steeplechase (3900m).

"We have got a couple in the maiden steeplechase. Blanco Bay has had a leg issue as well. He ran second at Hastings last year to Shackleton's Edge and then hurt his leg," Brosnan said.

"Meant To Be just needs a bit of luck to go his way."

-NZ Racing Desk