Nelson and McDougal Launch Triple Bid in NZ Hurdle

Paul Nelson’s standing in New Zealand jumping circles is difficult to rival, and the Hastings horseman is aiming to add another chapter to his record with a three-pronged attack on the J Swap Great New Zealand Hurdle at Te Aroha Track on Friday. The feature race, previously known as the Great Northern Hurdle, has long been a happy hunting ground for Nelson, who now trains in partnership with Corrina McDougal. Together, they have assembled a team featuring Suliman, Taika, and The Bambino for the season-ending 4200m test.

Nelson’s history with the race stretches back more than two decades. After that, he won the first Northern title with Chibuli in 2002, and then managed to get consecutive wins in 2006 and 2007 with Just Not Cricket. Over the last few years, the stable has grown with The Cossack getting glory for the 2020 and 2021, and Nedwin scoring a win in 2024 to keep the streak going. Those results give Nelson and McDougal a formidable record, and their trio of contenders will attempt to transfer that success to the newly named event.

Suliman shapes as the most seasoned of the three runners. He is 12 years old and has found his way back to life in spectacular form in the late part of the season, which was visually demonstrated by a victory in the Grand National Hurdle (4200m). After that run, he returned to Pakūranga with no less than a strong third place in the Pakūranga Hunt Hurdle (3100m) at the end of August, a show that made his co-trainer positive about his future.

“He was very good in the Pakūranga, considering it was a bit shorter,” Nelson said. “Hopefully for him, the track will be wet and loose again on Friday. He was a bit slow to start with this year, but once he’s found his rhythm, he’s gone very well.”

Stablemate Taika is no stranger to the northern jumps scene, having finished third in last year’s Northern. He opened his 2025 campaign with a win in May but has produced mixed results since then. Testing ground at Pakūranga last month proved difficult, prompting Nelson and McDougal to back him up quickly at Woodville, where he finished fourth.

“I don’t think he enjoyed his run at Pakūranga in the really wet, loose mud; he was covered in it,” Nelson explained. “I think if he races handier, he can probably stay away from it a bit more.”

The Bambino presents a different profile. Though he was lightly raced, the gelding is very talented and has managed to string together some successive victories to qualify for this race. His runs made both trainers, as well as co-owner Ben Foote, believe that he is up to the task of a top-class hurdle event.

“Ben was very keen for him to run in this race, but he had to prove he was up to it,” Nelson said. “I think he’s really done that in his last couple of races. He’s not the easiest to work with, and we try to keep him as quiet and settled as we can, but at the races, he behaves very well and doesn’t fight the rider. I think he’ll be able to do that on Friday and see out the 4200m.”

While the hurdle event is the headline for Nelson and McDougal, the stable also has strong representation in the Ben and Ryan Foote Great New Zealand Steeplechase (6200m), another highlight of the Te Aroha track carnival. Nedwin, winner of the Pakūranga Hunt Cup (4300m), will carry the stable’s hopes in the gruelling steeplechase. The son of Niagara has switched between hurdles and steeplechase this year, placing third in the Grand National Steeplechase (5600m) before scoring in his most recent start.

Nelson is pleased with Nedwin’s progress but recognises the challenge of the demanding 6200m event.

“I’m very happy with his work; he seemed to have come through the Pakūranga race really well and had a nice few days off in a grass paddock, which always helps them,” he said. “We’ll have to see how he goes; he’s still a young steeplechaser, but he’s going well. He doesn’t mind track conditions and retains a bit of ability on the flat as well.”

With Suliman’s experience, Taika’s resilience, and The Bambino’s upward trajectory, Nelson and McDougal have assembled a diverse team for Friday’s feature. Whether youth, consistency, or seasoned toughness prevails, the stable’s presence guarantees that the Great New Zealand Hurdle will again be closely associated with a name that has shaped the country’s jumping landscape for more than 20 years.