Racing: The Oysterman comes right

The Oysterman in action at Trentham yesterday. Photo / Peter Rubery, Race Images

Patience and perseverance gained their reward when The Oysterman upstaged his better-performed rivals at Trentham.

The rising 10-year-old had gone winless in nine previous starts over the big fences and in 11 flat outings before he triumphed in yesterday's LJ Hooker Manawatu Steeplechase.

The Oysterman and rider Hamish McNeill were up with the play throughout the 4000 metre contest and when the favourite The Big Opal came to grief about 1000 metres from home, they went for gold.

"It just doesn't get any better than this, the horse really deserved it and Hamish rode him beautifully," Awapuni part-owner and trainer Stephen Nickalls said.

The Yamanin Vital gelding was out on his own when he hit the course proper and he crossed the line clear of Joking and the McGregor Grant Steeplechase winner Wise Men Say, who was doing his best work in the closing stages to take third.

The Oysterman is now likely to return to Trentham next month for the Wellington Steeplechase, a race he finished third in last year and was runner-up in two years ago.

He may well be opposed in that event by Kings Deep, who made an overdue return to winning form in the Tasman Insulation Steeplechase.

The Grand National, Great Northern and Awapuni Hurdles placegetter has had to overcome tendon injuries and a serious virus to get his career back on track.

Apart from one mistimed leap at Trentham, Kings Deep produced a fine show of jumping under rider Aaron Kuru.

"We've had our troubles with him over the last few years so it's good to get a pay day," Hastings part-owner and trainer Paul Nelson said.

Meanwhile Shaun Fannin has formed a potent partnership with Kevin Myers in recent seasons and they collected another prestige title at Trentham with the outstanding jumper Sea King.

The leading jumps jockey had good reason to trumpet the Wanganui trainer's conditioning skills after they had combined to land yesterday's Manawatu ITM Awapuni Hurdles.

"Kevin Myers is a legend to get this horse back to win this sort of race," Fannin said. "I just can't sing his praises enough."

Sea King's winter campaign got away to a sluggish start and three runs back he was pulled out of the Waikato Hurdles before showing improvement to finish third earlier this month.

"Kevin has done a great job with him," Fannin said. "We got a nice trail and he jumped well. He got the last few fences right and ran away."

The topweight's cause was helped when the leader Shamal came to grief 600 metres from home when going well, but Sea King's effort under 70kg was nevertheless a highly commendable one.

His programme for the remainder of the winter has yet to be confirmed with a return to Victoria, where he has won three steeplechases and two hurdle events, in the mix for the rising 11-year-old.

"There has been some talk of another trip to Australia, but we'll just wait and see," said part-owner Rachael Frost, who prepared the son of Shinko King to win on the flat earlier in his career.

Upper Cut showed he was in good touch for his main assignment, the defence in August of his Grand National Steeplechase title, with his run for second and Justa Charlie finished third ahead of the well-supported Max.

- NZ Racing Desk