Hit The Road Jack..........versatile Kiwi.

[TAB For Ever]

HTRJ showed his versatility by running a close 2nd at Flemington on Saturday in a A$300k race. He moved across the ditch in May after having 1 x hurdle trial in NZ.

He has had 6 x Aussie starts , 3 x flat races for $160k in stakes and 3 x maiden hurdles for 1 x win and 2 x placings for $35 k

In his long NZ career he had won 7 from 48 starts ,travelling extensively. He began racing at Wairoa and raced in the Bay,Taranaki , Ruakaka ,Waikato, Auckland Trentham and Riccarton. He raced several times at Riccarton includ ing both the Winter Cup and NZ cup which his 5th was his best Riccarton result.Also raced in Avondale and Auckland Cups.

He took 16 starts to win his maiden ,winning twice in a row on Cambridge Synthetic then won at the Bay and then two Open 2200m at Ruakaka in small fields on both good and soft ground. He later won in the wet at Avondale and Taranaki.

He was by dour stayer Jakkalberry out of group performer Ististar [ by Istidaad trained by S McKee and won 10 including Cuddle Stakes ]

His full sister Enchanted Elle has won 6 and ran 3rd in Hurdle debut on Sunday at Te Rapa.

Also in Aussie for 18 months was Lincoln King mixing flat and jumps racing.He won Wellington Cup.He has won $30k on flat and $70k in Hurdles running in some of their premier jumps racing.

Another Wellington Cup winner Leaderboard left for Aussie early in 2024 ,having had one unplaced hurdle in NZ last winter. He has had 7 x jumps races in Aussie with a win in over both hurdles and steeples.He ran 2nd in Grand national Steeples ,3rd in GN Hurdles and has won $200k.

Good coin for the ageing stayers and top trainer Mark Walker recently quipped that it was easier to get from Waikato to Melbourne than it was to travel Waikato to Trentham......more costly too !

Edited Monday at 10:35 AM by TAB For Ever
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[Doomed]

I do like horses that can mix flat and jumps racing.  I like their versatility. Increases money making opportunities as well. 

Bit of a worry though that the indication seems to be that a Wgtn Cup winner is considered well qualified for a jumps career in Australia.

[Chief Stipe]

10 hours ago, TAB For Ever said:

Good coin for the ageing stayers and top trainer Mark Walker recently quipped that it was easier to get from Waikato to Melbourne than it was to travel Waikato to Trentham......more costly too !

Might be easier and cheaper for a trainer to get to Melbourne than Trentham not so for a horse.  

Time wise a different story.  Often quicker to fly a horse to Melbourne than to float it to Ellerslie.