A MAIDEN hurdle winner at Ellerslie less than 12 months ago, Bee Tee Junior has risen to the top, taking out Sunday’s A$350,000 Grand National Steeple at Ballarat in the heaviest conditions the course has seen for years. Such was the state of the track, stewards had the final jump removed for the 4,500-metre race.

Bee Tee Junior’s main rival was the previously unbeaten Ablaze, the even-money favourite seeking to become the first horse to win the Grand Annual Steeplechase as well as both Nationals.

With the early tempo set by Lucques, Ablaze was next in the queue, his pursuers keeping a close watch.

Despite never looking entirely comfortable, Shane Jackson and Ablaze lifted the rating with 1,000 metres to go, but the pair came under pressure as they caught the early leader.

Bee Tee Junior cruised past with one to jump for jockey Lee Horner. Surviving a fatigued effort over the final, Bee Tee Junior made it to the line nine lengths the better of Ablaze with Michelin in third.

“I think I had him beaten at the half-mile,” said Horner of Ablaze. “He had a big weight, he’s a little horse and he jumped a few sticky. I jumped a few sticky (also) in that ground. He’s probably done a good job to run second with that weight. A super effort and a great contest.”

Naysayers

Formerly trained by Shaune Ritchie in New Zealand, Rachael Cunningham has had the nine-year-old Nom Du Jeu gelding since January.

“Being his first steeplechase start, we threw him straight into the National,” said Cunningham. “There were a lot of naysayers out there who said that we were being ambitious but we thought he was good enough, and this is that one day where we’ve been proved right.”

Horner rides a fine treble

LEE Horner finished the jumps season in style riding a treble at Ballarat on Sunday, the middle peg of which was the A$125,000 J.J. Houlahan Hurdle.

Riding the German-bred Instigator (by Nayef) for trainer Aaron Purcell, the pair put on a clinic, winning the 3,200-metre feature hurdle by 16 lengths from the French-bred Saunter Boy.

“He’s a horse that’s been very frustrating,” said Purcell. “He’s probably a listed-class flat horse that’s been struggling in lower races, but he’s a really good jumper and that keeps him involved in the races. It’s a very good feeling winning a feature.”

Rested

Purcell indicated that Instigator would now be rested with a view to getting to Warrnambool next May for the Galleywood Hurdle.

“He’s got bags of ability but he just doesn’t know what to do with it,” said Horner of Instigator. “You can see him wandering down the straight like a drunken sailor. He still beat a couple of feature-class horses in that so I thought it was a pretty good effort.”

Horner kicked off his treble with Flying Agent for Amy McDonald in the opener of the six-race card.