Top jumps jockey Aaron Kuru will be back in the saddle this weekend when he joins forces with the Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal-trained The Cossack in Saturday’s Great Northern Hurdle (4190m). The talented rider parted company with Trueman at the final fence in a hurdle at Ellerslie earlier this month but has received a clearance to ride.
The Cossack enters the feature hurdle on the back of a good third behind in-form dual purpose galloper Aigne. “I am actually feeling really good today, so it will be good to ride The Cossack on Saturday,” Kuru said. “It is a bit unknown as to whether he will get the distance, but he has done nothing wrong this preparation and I quite like him. “I’d like to see if he actually does stay.”
With the jumps season pushed back later than usual due to COVID-19 restrictions earlier in the year, the jumpers will face firmer track conditions than what would present in a normal year. “The firmer tracks aren’t that good for jumpers, but it is the way things have played out this year,” Kuru said. “I don’t think he will mind too much and he should get away with it.”