Gotta Take Care after bonus in GN Hurdle

Wednesday 9 July 2014, 5:08pm

The man who has ridden Gotta Take Care to his nine jumps victories has faith in the gelding's ability to lump a big weight in the Grand National Hurdle.

Gotta Take Care is also chasing a $300,000 bonus offered by the Melbourne Racing Club for a horse that can win three of six selected jumps features this season.

He has already claimed the Galleywood Hurdle at Warrnambool and Australian Hurdle at Sandown and victory in Sunday's $200,000 Grand National Hurdle would clinch the prize.

Gotta Take Care, who has also won the Brendan Drechsler Hurdle at Bendigo this season, has to carry 71kg in the 3900m race at Sandown.

The now retired champion jumper Black And Bent won with 72kg last year.

The only other horse to win with 70kg or more in the metric era was Sir Agrifo who had 70kg in 1989.

Jockey John Allen is Gotta Take Care's regular partner over the jumps and believes 71kg is within the horse's capabilities.

"He has carried 69 kilos in his last three wins. It's only two kilos more and he's been very impressive in those three runs," Allen said.

"So I can't see any reason why he can't.

"It would be a slight worry if it turned up a Heavy 10, but if it was in the slow range it would probably be ideal."

Gotta Take Care has 4kg more than last-start Kevin Lafferty Hurdle winner Sea King while Wells has 65.5kg.

The other nine horses nominated are on the 64kg limit.

Allen said Gotta Take Care was in great form and he was impressed with his run at Caulfield over 2000m on the flat last Saturday ahead of his shot at the Grand National.

"The only worry would be he's going to have a big weight and give a lot of good horses a lot of weight but he's probably the horse they've all got to beat," Allen said.

The other feature jumps race on Sunday is the $100,000 Crisp Steeplechase with Bashboy headlining the nine nominations.

Bashboy has won the Crisp Steeple for the past two years.

– AAP

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