Gillies pleased with Palezza

Press, 3 August 1989, Page 33

Gillies pleased with Palezza

By

DAVID McCARHTY

Palezza, one of the early favourites for the Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton next Wednesday, had his first look at the Riccarton brush yesterday and gave his trainer, Tony Gillies, a bad moment before completing a light schooling session satisfactorily. Gillies worked the Palatable gelding once around at an easy pace before giving him a look at a brush fence on the inside of the course. Palezza jumped that

well but baulked at the second after becoming distracted. Tried again he made no mistake and Gillies is happy with the gelding’s progress if not with his weight for the National. Palezza arrived in Christchurch on Monday and has done well on the trip. He will have his first brush hurdle race on Saturday in the Sydenham Hurdles, the traditional National lead-up. Gillies had earlier planned to give Palezza a lead-up race over brush at Levin

but decided that the type of fences used at the two tracks were dissimilar enough to abandon the idea. “The fences at Levin are much easier than the Riccarton ones and I didn’t think he’d learn a great deal from them,” Gillies said. Palezza’s latest run was on the flat over 2200 m at Paeroa when he finished a useful sixth. It is his pace on the flat which is expected to count in his favour in the National. Gillies had been hoping for more lenient treat-

ment from the handicapper. Palezza has 62 kilograms in the National not 62.5 kg as reported yesterday, 2kg below Noble Heritage, the Tanalith and Awapuni Hurdles winner, which has won four hurdle races. Palezza has won three, the latest being the Trentham Hurdles which he won carrying 59.5 kg. “I was hoping to be a bit further from Noble Heritage, perhaps on 61 kg, but there’s not much point in moaning about it,” Gillies said.