Norway jumping into calculations

Norway produced a thrilling display to win the Brendan Drechsler Hurdle at Pakenham on Sunday. 244282 Picture: BRETT HOLBURT/RACING PHOTOS

By David Nagel

An Irish Derby placegetter and an exciting prospect from the Flemington yard of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stole the show at the feature Mosstrooper Jumps Day at Pakenham on Sunday.

Training partners Ciaron Maher and David Eustace teamed up with jockey Steven Pateman for four winners on the day – the most exciting of those being their five-year-old gelding Norway who took out the $100,000 Brendan Drechsler Hurdle (3500m) in exciting fashion.

Norway could be the most decorated horse to have ever graced the Pakenham track at Tynong, with the son of Galileo running third in the 2019 Group-1 Irish Derby behind then Aidan O’Brien stablemates Sovereign and Anthony Van Dyck.

Norway then moved from O’Brien to one of our country’s leading trainers, Chris Waller, and made his Australian debut in the Group-1 Ranvet Stakes in Sydney.

He was then forwarded on to master-trainer Peter Moody and had three runs with him before switching to the Maher/Eustace camp.

Sunday’s win was Norway’s third start for his new stable, running down the track at Flemington over 2500-metres before making a statement in his jumps debut at Warrnambool winning by 10 lengths.

Norway toyed with his opposition on Sunday, sitting second in the early stages of the race before taking the lead with a mile to go and was never headed from there. Norway, who started a $2.25 favourite, jumped the last hurdle just two lengths in front but spaced his opposition over the last 100 metres of the race.

Maher was impressed with Norway’s 10-length victory and will now set his potential star for a shot at the $250,000 Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown on Sunday, 1 August

“We’ll certainly have to consider it now, that was very impressive,” Maher told Racing.com after the race.

“You’re only as good as your team and this horse has really thrived. You could see it walking around in the mounting yard, he had his ears pricked and he looked great.

“I have to give the Moody team a cheerio as well, they did a fair bit of jumping with him also and that held him in good stead for today.

“He can pop into a National now, the ground is to his liking and if he pings off this run like he did his last he’ll be a light-weight chance for sure.”

Pateman, who has claimed just about every feature jumps race in Australia, was effusive in his praise for Norway.

“He’s got a massive future, he was just floating around on the flat but jumping has made him have a crack,” Pateman said.

“He’s untapped, his second start, feature race, he was travelling too well with a lap to go so I just let him bowl, I had the confidence on him to do that.

“He jumped perfect, I steadied him a bit at the last, because he was home, but he’s really exciting.”

Another horse who will head to Sandown on August 1 is Social Element, who made equally light work of his opposition to win the $100,000 Mosstrooper Steeplechase (3500m).

The Waterhouse/Bott-trained seven-year-old gelding will now be set for the $125,000 Crisp Steeplechase (4200m) at Sandown after his brilliant display in winning by nine lengths.

The short-priced commodity stalked the pace set by race-leader The Dominator, before cruising to the lead at the 600 and racing clear to win easily – putting six lengths on the field over the last 100-metres.

Social Element is another with an impressive past form-line, running second to Azuro in the Queensland Cup of 2019, almost two years to the day.

The son of 2004 Cox Plate winner Savabeel had almost two years away from the track before running fourth to exciting stayer Grand Promenade in a $135,000 Handicap at Flemington on June 5 this year.

He has since won two steeplechases at Warrnambool before Sunday’s procession at Pakenham.

Stable representative Alva Prendergast said Social Element had the constitution and necessary improvement to challenge his rivals in the Crisp.

“He’s very tough and today was a big test because he was up against a lot stronger field,” Prendergast said.

“He’s work has been super since Warrnambool and we’ve been very happy with him and he’s just a very good tough horse.”

Pakenham’s next scheduled race meeting is set down for Saturday, 31 July.