All systems Go for Gonzo
TRAINER Sean Cameron has Go Go Gonzo at peak fitness ahead of the Hospitality New Zealand Canterbury 128th Grand National Hurdles over 4200m at Riccarton on Wednesday.
The eight-year-old gelding has thrived since transitioning to jumps racing, and its eight and a half length win in the Sydenham Hurdles could be a sign of things to come.
The Waiuku-based trainer was pleased Go Go Gonzo won the race so comfortably and said the horse had pulled up well after the run.
“It was above my expectations really, it was a bit scary the way he won,” Cameron said.
“He’s good as gold after the run, he’s been out to the beach the last couple of days just to have a walk in the water to loosen up. If he’s not fit now he’ll never be fit.”
Last season’s leading jumps jockey Aaron Kuru will take the ride aboard Go Go Gonzo with Saturday’s winning rider Hamish McNeill already committed to Ready Eddie.
“Hamish made an agreement to ride him and The Oysterman all the way through (the season) so he has stuck by his word,” Cameron said.
“The way Hamish rode him on Saturday, he had done everything perfect and the horse went good for him so it’s hard changing a winning combination, but Aaron is a top man.”
While everything is looking great in the Go Go Gonzo preparation, the trainer still has a few question marks around the gelding.
Cameron admitted he was not sure whether the horse will handle the step-up in distance to 4200m.
“He was just a grinder on the flat,” he said.
“He won over 2150m at Riverton one day by nearly five lengths, so I always thought he could stay, but the 4200m is going to be a telling factor.”
Elsewhere in the Cameron camp, the trainer is unsure whether his other runner Bullitt will handle the heavy ground at Riccarton, but has taken confidence with former apprentice jockey Emma Power taking the ride in the Nautical Boat Insurance Grand National Amateur Championship.
“I’m not quite sure whether he is a heavy tracker,” the trainer said.
“He’s had two starts on slow tracks for wins, but I thought I’d have a go in the amateur riders’ race.
“Emma Power is not long out of being an apprentice so I thought with a more experienced jockey on him she may be able to get the better of the other amateurs.”