Waverley assignment for National-bound Jesko

[Wandering Eyes]

The short-priced favourite for the upcoming Racecourse Hotel and Motor Lodge 150^th Grand National Steeplechase (5600m), Jesko (NZ) (Atlante), will step out on the flat at Waverley on Friday as he readies for his biggest test yet in a fortnight.

The son of Atlante commenced his current campaign at Waverley in April, and in the hands of his co-trainer Shaun Fannin downed his Rating 65 rivals over 2200m. That trend continued when he stepped out over fences, winning a restricted open steeplechase at Wanganui and claiming feature crowns in the Manawatu Steeplechase (4000m) and Wellington Steeplechase (4900m).

Fannin, who trains Jesko in partnership with his wife Hazel, will hand over the reins for the first time this preparation when Chris Dell guides the gelding’s fortunes in the EquivetsNZ (2200m).

“It’s definitely more of a fitness run before Riccarton, we wanted to give him a hit out on the grass and this looked like a nice option,” Fannin said. “He’s raced well at Waverley previously and has had a couple of wins there on the flat.

“He galloped well on the course proper at Awapuni yesterday (Tuesday) and went pretty well, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he ran a cheeky race on Friday.

“It’ll be very beneficial to be able to get a race into him before we go down south.”

Hazel will accompany Jesko to Christchurch early next week, with the Racecourse Hotel and Motor Lodge Koral Steeplechase (4250m) as his first assignment on Saturday, August 2.

“He’ll race on Friday, then will head down to Riccarton on Tuesday,” Fannin said. “He’ll run in the Koral before the National, that’s the plan.

“He’s done a fair bit of jumping so he doesn’t need too much in between, but he did have a school last Thursday, more so because of the lack of grass tracks to gallop on. It was a good way of getting some fitness into him.

“Hazel is going down with him for the first week, so I’ll probably ask her to pop him over a couple of jumps down there on the day before the Koral. He’s done a fair bit of jumping so hopefully he remembers what he’s doing when he gets out there.”

At the Waverley meeting, the stable will also be represented by Sweet Ada (NZ) (Adelaide), a consistent mare searching for an elusive maiden success in the Chris Hays Livestock (2200m). “She’s been going consistent races and she meets a similar field to what she’s been coming up against,” Fannin said. “She’s done well since Woodville, so I can’t see any reason why she shouldn’t be a good top-three chance again.

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