Al Garhood On Track For Second Von Doussa
- Monday, 18 April 2011 06:59
Last year's Von Doussa Steeplechase winner Al Garhood has shown he is on track for a repeat performance with an encouraging trial result at Oakbank.
Ridden by Steven Pateman, the 11-year-old competed in the fastest steeplechase trial on Monday finishing 3-1/2 lengths behind Rude `N' Abrupt who beat Cash Advance by a half length in 3.58.4 for the 3200m.
Trainer Ciaron Maher wasn't at the trial but was pleased with reports from stable staff.
"They said all went okay," Maher said.
Maher confirmed Saturday's Von Doussa (3250m) at Oakbank was again Al Garhood's mission ahead of the Warrnambool carnival where he will target the Brierly Steeplechase (3450m) for the fourth time and the Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m) for the third time.
He won the 2008 and 2009 Brierly and was second last year while he won last year's Grand Annual after finishing second in 2009.
He won last year's Von Doussa after finishing seventh in that race in 2009.
Al Garhood has never run in the Great Eastern Steeplechase (4950m) on Easter Monday but Maher said he would be an acceptor this year if he ran well in the Von Doussa.
However he would have to pull up extraordinarily well to start with the Warrnambool carnival only a week later.
Maher said Brough Superior may end up being his only Great Eastern runner.
The 10-year-old was beaten 30 lengths when second to Lucky Lurch in the slowest of Monday's four steeplechase trials and will have his lead-up run in either Von Doussa or the Yalumba Handicap (3600m) on Saturday.
Of the other horses to trial on Monday, New Zealander South Road and Kenwick both stood out with only a length separating them in their steeplechase trial while the rest of the field was distanced.
Virvacity, winner of the 2008 Von Doussa, only did a lap of the track on Monday and finished 40 lengths clear in a dashing display.
Meanwhile the Eric Musgrove trained Rabbuka, best known as a hurdler, was an impressivewinner of another steeplechase trial.
Jim Smith-trained Borat was the eye-catcher in the four hurdle trials, winning by five lengths from Olympic Light in clearly the fastest trial of 2.25.1 for the 2200m.
Borat is nominated to make his jumps race debut in Saturday's Woodford Reserve Hurdle (2900m) and is also entered for next Monday's Yalumba Classic Hurdle (3600m).
Other hurdle trial winners were Rampur, Stillman and Grinstone.
Oakbank regular John Wheeler is yet to arrive with his Von Doussa and Great Eastern pair Banna Strand and Petushki,and his Yalumba Classic Hurdle contender Squire Rex.
With the jumps focus on the Oakbank carnival, Melbourne Racing Club was unable to get enough acceptances to stage Wednesday's steeplechase while there were only six acceptances for the hurdle.
Picture: Colin Bull
