Trainers’ premiership frontrunner Kevin Myers will have numbers on his side at Hawera on Thursday.
The Wanganui conditioner has multiple runners engaged in all the jumping events, none more so than in the opening Supporters Hurdles with Reeperbahn heading a four-strong challenge.
The Dubawi gelding was a close second on his home track last time out and can go one better while stablemate Our Alchemist has won seven on the flat and is sure to be ready for his first appearance over fences.
Myers will produce three contenders in the restricted open hurdles with Kick Back a smart last-start winner at Rotorua likely to carry on her good form and Crash Bandicoot makes strong appeal in the maiden steeplechase.
He will be on the quick back-up from Ellerslie where he powered home late to finish second after giving the leaders a sizeable start at the top of the straight.
The restricted open steeplechase will see two further Myers contenders with Billy Elliot, a last-start second at Riccarton behind the promising jumper Brer, and the former Grand National and Australian Steeplechase placegetter Roodyvoo in action.
Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman have sent two maiden gallopers south from their Cambridge base to the meeting with Sydney Carton (race seven) and Capinsky (race nine) both rated strong hopes by the stable.
“Sydney Carton is quite a smart horse and Capinsky has been slow maturing, but she’s well-related,” Forsman said.
She is a daughter of the Gr.1 NZ Breeders’ Stakes winner Captivate, who didn’t break her maiden until she was a late three-year-old.