Failure on flat makes rapid rise as jumper

Press, 10 July 1989, Page 30

Failure on flat makes rapid rise as jumper

By DAVID MCCARTHY Caviton, bought for $5OO, sight unseen, at a social function two years ago when a failure on the flat, loomed large in calculations for the *70,000 Wellington Steeplechase next week with his Kid'”ford Steeplechase win at Trentham on Saturday. Ridden by a littleknown jockey, Wayne Thomas, Caviton wore down Braeman after tne pair had put up an enthralling display of the art of steeplechasing on. Trentham’s picturesque figure-eight course. The pair, with Count Your Silver, drew away from the rest and Caviton and Braeman virtually matched leaps and strides for the last round until Caviton made a slight error at the double about 1200 metres out. Braeman established what looked like a win-

ning margin than but Caviton slowly wore him down in the last 100 m. A dead-heat would have been a popular result with the crowd but there was no doubting Caviton’s effort which completed a rapid rise to the top this winter. Tilings will not be so easy next week when class jumpers such as Desperino and Lord Venture add new blood to the field but Caviton’s trainer and part-owner, Barney Lumsden, is confident enough. “He hasn’t got a lot of speed but he keeps it up all dav,” said Lumsden, who races Caviton in partnership with Kevin and Margaret Hare, the former a brother of the once well-known southern rider Lex Hare. Lumsden was at a function associated with the Bayer Classic when Cavi-

ton was offered and he took him. An intensive jumping education followed for the horse which was too slow for flat racing and he now does 90 per cent of his work on the beach. His win has interrupted the rugby career of Wayne Thomas, half back for the Marton Old Boys seniors for whom he is again unavailable next Saturday. Thomas, aged 21, was offered the ride on Caviton in controversial circumstances but made the most of it. He had not eaten since Wednesday to make the weight and his career, which he admits would probably be over but for the enthusiasm of his mother, Joy, seems to have taken another turn for the better. Thomas, who works for Evan Rayner and Jay Parker at Marton is in his

fourth season of riding and has had just nine wins after breaking a collarbone in his debut race. Caviton had been ridden to win the Manawatu Steeplechase by Grant Elliot whose brother, Ross, had substituted for him in the Wanganui Steeplechase. Grant Elliot had been expecting to continue his association with the horse but trainer Lumsden claimed that had Elliot been in touch with him he could have had the ride. Lumsden engaged Thomas last Wednesday. Caviton is likely to be set for the Pakuranga Hunt Cup next month and will be put aside with a view to an Australian campaign next winter. Lumsden has had wretched luck during a handful of visits to Riccarton and is reluctant to return.