Hot favourite Jason Rulz took all the limelight at Richmond Park over the weekend, winning the Nelson Pine Industries Nelson Cup Handicap Pace 3000m, following an earlier victory in the prelude on Friday.
His performances were a stark contrast to that of the locally owned horses, with soon-to-be mother Jass picking up a second place in the Christian Cullen Canterbury Mares Series Mobile Pace over 1609m, claiming the only notable highlight.
The Robert Stuart-trained mare was predicted to be a place bolter in the Nelson Cup on day two but could only manage a seventh place finish, well behind the Ricky May driven Jason Rulz. Jackaroo Bromac, Lively Shard and Tijuana Bromac made up the rest of the top four.
On the performances of the locally owned horses, Nelson Harness Racing Club president John McKenzie says “that is just racing” and you have to take your ups with your downs. “When the victories come you have to enjoy them and when they’re not you have to commiserate,” he says. “There will be disappointment for the horses and trainers but I thought a few of them still performed pretty well, especially the performance of Jass on day one.”
Jass is recognised as Nelson’s top racing horse. For how much longer though is yet to be decided with John believing she was about to become a mother. “She has proved over the latter stages of her career that she is a better mile distance horse but the way the races are run, it might have not suited her or she might not have had a run at the right time. The luck plays a big part in it.”
