Wellington Steeplechase conqueror The Cossack

[Wandering Eyes]

There was a sense of unfinished business for The Cossack (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) heading into Saturday’s Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase (5500m) at Trentham and the star jumper delivered a faultless performance to collect another major crown for Paul Nelson & Corrina McChief Stipeal. 

After claiming all there was on offer in the hurdle scene, The Cossack transitioned into steeplechasing last season and was a leading hope to claim the iconic figure-eight feature, before being severely hampered by a fallen runner late in the race and eventually finishing third behind West Coast (NZ) (Mettre En Jeu). 

The son of Mastercraftsman resumed this year in winning fashion taking out a second Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) at Te Rapa in June, and the stable sought redemption returning to Trentham where he would stand alone carrying the 73kg top-weight. 

Starting a $1.50 favourite, The Cossack settled straight into his work navigating the unique course under Hamish McNeill, who allowed the ten-year-old to sit close to the speed controlled by Izymydaad (NZ) (Istidaad). 

After negotiating the double for the final time, The Cossack swept to the lead and set a stern challenge for the remainder of the field, and as they reached the course proper, up-and-coming talents Afterallthistime (Deep Field) and Auld Jock (Adelaide) loomed as the main dangers. 

The chasing pair cleared the last behind The Cossack and fought on valiantly, but the favourites class prevailed as he cantered across the line a half-length ahead of a storming Auld Jock, with Afterallthistime a further 3 ¼ lengths adrift in third. 

McNeill was in awe of the ten-year-old after the marathon jumping contest. 

“I was a passenger, he had a heap of fun,” he said. 

“He jumped out of the gates, and he wanted to travel today, he made his mind up that Izymydaad wasn’t going to get too far in front of him and he trucked the whole way. 

“He gave me an unbelievable feel and he sprinted when he turned for home as well, he’s kept them all at bay. He’s heard them and pinged the last well, and it was over and done with after that.

“Jumps racing is actually thriving at the moment, we’ve got a lot of lovely animals going around and we’re getting the numbers. 

“We’re starting to get some new boys (jumps jockeys) in the country and today’s racing has been perfect, you can’t tell me you’re disappointed watching this kind of racing so it’s great.” 

The Northern-based hoop also guided a very promising type in Al’s Red Zed (NZ) (Zed) to victory for the stable in the opening event, the Norm Bevan Memorial Maiden Steeplechase (4000m), while it was Jay Kozaczek in the saddle when Nedwin-(NZ) (Niagara) collected Nelson and McChief Stipeal’s fifth-straight Metroclad Limited Wellington Hurdles (3200m) earlier on the card. 

“It has been a wonderful day and probably a bit of a pay back from last year, because we had quite a lot of bad luck that day, so we’ll take it,” Nelson said. 

“He (The Cossack) knows where the line is and that’s the main thing.

“He’s just got to carry on, we know he’ll get 73 (kilograms) and the others will get a bit off him, and I don’t know how much further we’ll go. You can keep going to the well a bit too often, but we’ve spaced his races to try and make it easier on him. 

“I always go back to No Hero (NZ) (Heroicity), he won eight steeplechases in a row, but this horse has done it hurdling and now he’s doing it steeplechasing, so we’ll just enjoy it.” 

Bred by Ivan Grieve, The Cossack is out of a Galileo mare Stellardelmar and has won 19 races from 60 starts, 15 of those success coming over fences. The gelding has earned the lion’s share of his $690,641 in stakes while in the ownership of Nelson, John Frizzell and Chief Stipe and Peter Grieve.

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