Dictation seeking redemption in Grand National Hurdles
The connections of Dictation (NZ) (Tavistock) have a love-hate relationship with Riccarton, and they are hopeful of leaning towards the latter after Saturday’s Hospitality NZ Canterbury 136th Hospitality NZ Canterbury 136th Grand National Hurdles (4200m).
While the Hawke’s Bay gelding has competed in the last two editions of the Grand National Festival of Racing, he has yet to contest the feature hurdle, something he will change on Saturday.
The nine-year-old son of Tavistock missed the 2024 running after he stumbled over the final hurdle and lost his rider in the traditional lead in race, the Sydenham Hurdles (3100m). He made amends last year when taking out the feature on the opening day of the carnival, but he was ruled out of the Grand National just days out due to a ligament strain.
This year he is in fine fettle and trainers Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal are looking forward to their gelding finally getting his chance in the Grand National.
He heads into the race in solid form, having placed in the Sydenham Hurdles and Waikato Hurdle (3200m), and finished fourth in the Hawke’s Bay Hurdle (3000m).
“We are pretty pleased with him,” Nelson said. “We rode him a bit differently the other day (in the Sydenham Hurdles) because we thought there was going to be a fair bit of pace on and we didn’t want to use him up.”
The stable will also be represented in the race by The Bambino and Taika, with Nelson citing the 4200m as their ally.
“They have both proved that they are up to the standard,” he said. “Affordable went pretty well the other day (when winning the Sydenham Hurdles). We know Taika will go that far and The Bambino will definitely go that far, but we don’t know if their horse will go 4200m, but he looks like he should.”
Nelson is also hopeful about evergreen jumper Nedwin’s chances in the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge 151st Grand National Steeplechase (5600m).
Nelson said it has been a frustrating preparation, with several meeting postponements, but he is happy enough with the 12-year-old gelding, who will carry 70kg on Saturday.
“Hopefully we have got him a bit better this week,” Nelson said following Nedwin’s fifth placing in last Saturday’s Koral Steeplechase (4250m).
“It has been pretty hard, we have been a bit behind all the time with races being changed, and when they called Wellington off that put us quite close to the next race coming up. But it is just how it has worked out.
“He seems pretty good, they had a gallop on Thursday morning after the frost lifted at about 10am and he was wanting to do some work.”
