It might have felt like the kitchen had flooded on the Riverton racecourse in the last few days, but it seems High Forty will have to carry the kitchen sink if he starts in tomorrow's $20,000 Great Western Steeplechase.
Last year's Grand National Steeplechase champion has been handed 74kg for tomorrow's 3900m feature, giving at least 9kg to all of his rivals, and will have top jumps jockey Michael Mitchell on board.
Given the sodden nature of the Riverton track after 25mm of rain in 24 hours up to Thursday morning, High Forty's co-trainer Shane Anderton was waiting to confirm with his father, Brian, whether the 9yr-old would start on a track rated heavy11 yesterday.
But the weight, and the lack of a lead-up run, makes the task very difficult for Otago's best jumper, especially after he was scratched from a start at Wingatui last month due to a mishap in the float.
"He's still got a lot of improvement in him,'' Anderton said.
"He's only had a couple of runs after his little mishap. He didn't miss a lot of work, he just missed a race, so whatever he does, there will be improvement in him.''
The Andertons would make a final call on the son of Danzig hill starting tomorrow once they had a better idea about the state of the track.
"We don't want to break his heart early in the season, that's all.''
Surface water on the Riverton track yesterday had given cause for concern about the meeting going ahead, but stipendiary steward Mark Davidson said
it would be inspected again today.
This year's Great Western Hurdle field will not go down as in history as one of the best. Just one horse, Revenge, has won a hurdle race, and that victory came at his last start at Riverton less than three weeks ago.
The Kelvin Tyler-trained runner was handed 68kg, but jockey Stuart Higgins can claim 3kg down to 65kg.
Regalo Reaal, Double Tap and Loose Goose have all placed over the hurdles before.
