Weekend racing with Iain Hyndman

Distance may a challenge for Justa Charlie in Saturday's Hawkes Bay Steeplechase at Hastings. Photo/Race Images

Iain Hyndman's Hastings Tips
1: Blazing Opal, The Other Half, Eddie Gilbert
2: El Disparo, Mesmerize, The Arabian Duke
3: No Change, Monarch Chimes, It's A Wonder
4: Firefly, Whoshotmymate, Kiddo
5: Doiknowyou, Trisha Lea, Lovetokeephim
6: Zamora, Adequacy, Our Jackson
7: Max, Wise Men Say, Justa Charlie
8: Ohthoserussions, The White Queen, Stevie's Surprise
9: Red Sierra, Petite En Jeu, Miss Oahu
10: New Crown, Mallory Square, Field Of Fire
Best Bet: No Change (R3)

In-form jumper Justa Charlie will be heading into unfamiliar territory on Saturday.

The rising 10-year-old's depths of stamina will be tested when he tackles the Simon's 50th Birthday Hawke's Bay Steeplechase (4800m) at Hastings.

"He's been great and he's really well, but he has to go three miles and that's a query," Waverley trainer Harvey Wilson said.

Justa Charlie will be at the top of his game for the distance test having won a restricted open over the big fences at Te Rapa three runs back before he finished runner-up to Max in the Waikato Steeplechase (3900m).

The Shinko King gelding has since had a run on the flat at Hawera to keep him up to the mark.

"He's a horse that doesn't need a heck of a lot of work," Wilson said.

"If he went really well at Hastings we'd probably turn our attention to the Pakuranga Hunt Cup, he likes Waikato."

Justa Charlie will also need to out jump and get the better of Wise Men Say and stablemate Max trained just down the road at Whangaehu by Raymond Connors.

To be fair, Wise Men Say has been a tad below par in his last two runs, especially when he ran last in the Irvines McGregor Grant Steeplechase run at Trentham.

He then raced closer to the pace than normal in the LJ Hooker Manawatu Steeplechase two weeks to finish fourth. It will be a foolish punter who ignores this talented fencer.

Regular rider Isaac Lupton has elected to ride Max who promises much on his return to the bigger fences on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Justa Charlie's stablemate It's A Wonder will also be in action on Saturday in the Te Whangai Romneys Hawke's Bay Hurdles (3100m).

He ran second to The Shackler in the Waikato Hurdles (3200m) before parting company with rider Will Gordon in the K. S. Browne Hurdle (3200m) at Trentham.

"He put in a bad jump and flicked Will off, it was just one of those things," Wilson said.

"The track was a little bit too heavy for him, but he's come through it well."