Affluential jumps to attention

[Wandering Eyes]

With the stunning return to the winner’s list of rising nine-year-old Showmanship at Caulfield last Saturday, owner Bob Peters’ attention this week turns to yet another task that was also once thought just as improbable.

Peters said on Tuesday that the two-year, drought-breaking win from Showmanship at Caulfield was a triumph for patience, as it will be on Sunday if jumping rookie Affluential can elevate himself as a Grand National Hurdle winner at Sandown.

“He’s the sort of horse that we thought might be good at that (jumping) and so far, so good,” Peters said of the horse’s upcoming National task. “But he’s up against the big boys now.

“He’s still a bit new to it all but he’s coming along well.”

Affluential, who Peters purchased for $140,000 as a yearling, was one of 20 nominations received on Tuesday for Sunday’s $300,000 Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown.

It’s not that Affluential and Showmanship have much else in common. Showmanship burst onto the scene at the start of his career in 2019, at one stage winning six races in a row, until injury forced him into a long rehab.

Affluential was an early headliner also, but only because he is the younger brother to Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant.

Otherwise, he showed very little racing ability, finishing last on his debut in a Belmont maiden in 2022 and taking 14 runs to finally win a race.

But a switch to jumping this season has seen the horse improve each time he steps out. All the same, Peters realises he is unlikely to be able to reach anywhere near the flat racing ability of his sister.

“I can’t see him rising to any great heights on the flat, but he’s getting better with each run,” Peters said. “He’s settled now he’s learned to be a racehorse.”

As for Showmanship, injury has robbed the rising nine-year-old of a large portion of his career, but Peters said he and trainer John Leek Jnr had never given up on him making it back to the winner’s circle.

“He was really fit there on Saturday and it was great to see him do that,” Peters said of Showmanship’s Caulfield victory.

“He’s always had the ability, but a few things have gone against him so to get back to win was very good.

“There are no plans for him but that was encouraging. Let’s hope he can go on with it from here.”

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