A quality field of steeplechasers will contest Saturday's Pakuranga Hunt Cup but almost just as noteworthy is the depth of class of riders in action.
Champion Australian jumps jockey Steven Pateman will ride last season's champion jumper Amanood Lad, while Australian-based Irish hoop Tom Ryan takes the mount on last-start Te Aroha steeplechase winner Old Redfeather. Fellow international traveller Richard Cully rides Jack Romanov, while Victorian-based Kiwi jumps rider Richard Eynon completes the four-strong Aussie-based contingent as he returns home to defend his title aboard the John Wheeler-trained Tobouggie Nights.
But perhaps the big talking point on rider bookings is Isaac Lupton's engagement for the Kevin Myers-trained last-start Wanganui Steeplechase winner Snodroptwinkletoes.
Lupton has limited his riding commitments in recent times, just taking 35 rides last season - his least in 15 years - and he has only ridden once so far this season.However, his record in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup is second to none, having won the race on five occasions, aboard Bart in 2005, Real Tonic in 2006 and Hypnotize in 2007, 2008 and 2010.
TAB bookmakers have installed Snodroptwinkletoes as a $3.50 second favourite behind last year's runner-up Amanood Lad at $3.Cambridge trainer Ben Foote believes the now 11-year-old Amanood Lad is in the right condition to go one better than his 2014 finish.
"He's slightly more forward than last year. He's done a lot of work and got a lot of mileage under his belt," Foote said."Last year I went into it thinking we were a little underdone."
Foote said he had varied Amanood Lad's training with trips to work up Ann Browne's hill and to Paeroa and Ellerslie, where he schooled pleasingly last week."He showed he's ready to go," Foote said.
"He just loves the [Ellerslie] hill and he'll be there at the finish."
