Racing: The Cossack is lord of dance despite weight

The Cossack on the way to victory at Hastings yesterday. Photo / Race Images

The local training partnership of Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal dominated proceedings at Hastings yesterday, winning all four jumping races on the card, including the two feature events.

After promising hurdler Noess kicked off the day with a gritty win for rider Shaun Phelan, champion jumper The Cossack lumped 73kg to victory in the Hawke's Bay Hurdle (3100m).

Class ultimately prevailed despite The Cossack jumping the last awkwardly, with the star jumper winning by three lengths from Kajino.

Nelson had been confident The Cossack could win again despite carrying at least 6kg more than his rivals but admitted the effort had taken a fair bit out of his champ.

"Shaun did say he wasn't as bright as he normally is and that may be the after-effect of the steeplechase he had the other day," he said.

"He didn't manage that last fence very well, but thankfully neither did the other horse, so he managed to get away with it."

The Cossack has won nine of his 14 starts over hurdles and 13 races in total for prizemoney of $400,000.

● New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock made the most of a 5-hour road trip to Hastings when he secured a 100 per cent winning strike rate with his three runners.

Sharrock left home yesterday at 3am, arrived in Hastings at 8.30am and put his first runner Darci La Bella on the track in race three at 12.34pm.

The progressive 4-year-old mare was sent out a warm $2.30 favourite and didn't disappoint as she glided home on the heavy10 surface to win the open 1200m.

One race later, potential summer cups candidate Ladies Man stormed home from well back to win at the same $2.30 quote, which just left talented winter performer Justaskme to round out a perfect day.

The 6-year-old son of No Excuse Needed didn't disappoint, as he relished the 4kg claim of apprentice Jeetesh Mudhoo and the testing track to finish over the top of Verry Flash and Kick On.

● Local father and daughter training partnership Ken Rae and Krystal Williams-Tuhoro picked up a special winning double at Ruakaka.

The pair sponsored the first race and collected the thick end of the prizemoney on offer when speedy filly Deploy made it back-to-back victories with a game performance after disputing the pace throughout.

Rae and Williams-Tuhoro also had a strong hand in the Waipu Cup (1400m) feature with race favourite Irish Girl and consistent performer Zelenski.

That proved the case with the Lars Pearson-bred and owned Zelenski winning, with Irish Girl fighting for fourth in her first run back after a South Island campaign in the autumn.

- NZ Racing Desk