Patience rewarded as Brucie chases another jumping prize

Brucie's (NZ) (Raise The Flag) remarkable comeback is set to continue, with the Wellington Steeplechase winner likely to head south for Riccarton's Grand National Week, where he is expected to contest the $150,000 Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge 151st Grand National Steeplechase (5600m).

The 10-year-old Raise The Flag gelding heads to Christchurch after breaking through for the biggest victory of his career in last week's Wellington Steeplechase, a triumph that came after overcoming two tendon injuries and years of perseverance from trainer Raymond Connors.

"He showed enough ability early on that we always thought jumping was going to be his game," Connors said.

"He did his tendon a couple of times, but they weren't major. They were just enough to keep stopping him and setting him back.

"It would've been easy to give up, but we just persevered. Luckily it's all come together."

Originally trained on the flat, Brucie was transferred to Connors after connections looked to extend his racing career over the bigger fences.

"Wayne and Jack from White Robe Lodge are good friends of mine, and the owners were looking at other options because he wasn't showing a lot on the flat," Connors said.

"It gave him the opportunity to continue his career, so they sent him up here to try him as a jumper."

At one stage, Connors had hoped Brucie could qualify for the lucrative Jericho Cup before injury forced a change in direction.

"At one stage I was hoping to get him to the Jericho, but he was beaten by a nose twice in the Road to the Jericho races," he said.

"If we'd won one of those they pay half your way over, so we might have taken that opportunity.

"Unfortunately he got injured, so we probably wouldn't have got there anyway. After that it just fell into place to move him into a jumping career.

"He's by Raise The Flag, who's left some very successful jumpers.

"His career has been a bit stop-start because of the injuries and things just hadn't happened for him. This year it's slowly come together. Whether it's timing or just a bit of luck, everything fell into place in the Wellington Steeplechase."

Connors believes the key this season has been abandoning flat racing altogether and focusing solely on steeplechasing.

"We didn't worry about running him on the flat and just concentrated on the jumping side of things," he said.

"We went straight to steeplechasing instead of trying to hurdle him. His last couple of runs he really started to jump well. He's only just coming to it now, even though he's quite an old horse."

The Bulls horseman, who enjoys training staying horses, said the move into jumping had given Brucie the opportunity to fulfil the potential he had shown earlier in his career.

"You try to win Cup races on the flat, but not every horse has that ability," he said.

"With a horse like him, jumping gives you another option, and fortunately that's worked out."

Connors said victories like the Wellington Steeplechase are what make racing worthwhile after years of setbacks.

"We do it for the enjoyment. We're certainly not doing it for the money," he said.

"It's the thrill of it. That's what racing's all about.

"When you've been through everything we have with him, it's very rewarding. The staff were pretty happy. He's a lovely horse to have around and everyone was buzzing after the win.

"It's nice to persevere with a horse and then finally get the result."

The Wellington Steeplechase victory was one Connors was determined to savour before turning his attention to Riccarton, with the respected horseman acknowledging Brucie is likely in the final campaign of his career.

"We're going to enjoy this one," Connors said.

"I don't think we'll bring him back next season, so this will probably be his last campaign.

"I don't know whether he can do it again, that's yet to be seen, but hopefully he can perform like that again."