Western Victoria: Big blue has big future
By Tim Auld, August 20, 2018 - 4:35 PM

It was only a maiden hurdle win on a heavy track in the depths of winter but champion jumps jockey Steven Pateman has confidently predicted bigger things are in store for Big Blue.
Having his first jumping start, Big Blue ($6.50) put in a couple of awkward jumps before defeating Darabad over 3200 metres at Sportsbet-Ballarat last Sunday. 
The seven-year-old, formerly trained by James Cummings had not raced for 35 weeks before making his winning jumping debut for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
Pateman was deeply impressed by the win.
“Big Blue could be anything,” he said. “It was a big effort at his jumping debut. 
“He’s still raw. There’s a lot of improvement in him. He’ll learn a lot from this run. 
“It was a great training performance to produce him to run well on a heavy track after so long off. 
“Big Blue is in excellent hands. Ciaron’s record says it all — he’s an outstanding trainer of flat and jumping horses. 
“I think Big Blue could develop into an ideal Grand Annual runner — if not next year, maybe 2020.”
Pateman has won Warrnambool’s Grand Annual Steeplechase twice, on Al Garhood in 2011 and Awakening Dream in 2012.
Work brings joy for Jacko
Popular Warrnambool jumps jockey Shane Jackson credits hard work for his success in the 2018 jumps season. 
The Irish-born Jackson has won two of Victoria’s jumps features this year — the Brierly Steeplechase on Gold Medals and the Grand National Hurdle on Cougar Express.
“I’ve been happy with my form this season,” the 31-year-old said. 
“I put my success down to hard work and the support of my family. It’s been my most successful season since we moved here six years ago. 
Jackson will ride for Ireland at the coming jumps day at Morphettville on September 1.
Nest to press on
A hoof abscess forced Koroit trainer James McNamara to scratch his veteran Hornets’ Nest from the $125,000 Houlahan Hurdle at Ballarat on Sunday.
A disappointed McNamara said the scratching was a bitter blow.
“I thought I had him pretty right to run well,” the Koroit hobby trainer said. “The abscess only surfaced on Thursday and it’s burst. 
“I’m hoping to run him in the hurdles at Casterton and Coleraine next month. 
“He’s fit and healthy so we’ll push on before looking at some of the minor flat country cups over the spring-summer period.”
Ryan flyin’ ahead of 2019
The 2018 jumps season is fast coming to a close but Warrnambool trainer Simon Ryan can’t wait for the 2019 season to begin.
Evanesce won the marathon hurdle at Ballarat on Sunday for Ryan and the former jumps jockey believes the five-year-old mare could be a contender for the 2019 Grand Annual.
“I was really impressed,” he said. “She’s won two of her last three, but she’s been in work for a long time so we’ve sent her to the paddock for a well deserved break. 
“The Grand Annual is the race I’ve got in mind. She can stay all day and handles it wet so she ticks a couple of important boxes.”
Tarquin, a new addition to Ryan’s stable, joins handy jumpers Police Camp and Dormello Mo as well as Evanesce on the trail of next year’s jumping features.
“Tarquin’s a nice type of horse,” Ryan said. “We’ve got nothing planned for him at this stage but a jumps career might be on the agenda. 
“We had to give Dormello Mo a break following a paddock accident. He’ll be ready for the minor jumps races next season.
“Police Camp has put in a couple of handy runs over the jumps. He’s another one that might be aimed at next year’s Grand Annual. 
“I think next year I’ll probably have six jumpers in my stable. I’m really looking forward to it — it can’t come around quick enough.”
Ryan has trained three winners from his last 12 runners.

 

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