In a thrilling finish to the Manawatu ITM Awapuni Hurdle (2800m) rugged winter performer Suliman used his pace on the flat to out-finish a game Berry The Cash to snatch major honours.

The Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal-trained nine-year-old looked a hurdling star in the making last winter when winning two of his three starts over fences as he mixed jumping with flat racing where he has won on six occasions including victory in the 2021 Taumarunui Gold Cup (2200m).

A fresh-up run in the Listed Rotorua Cup (2200m) fitted him nicely for Saturday’s feature hurdle contest with rider Hamish McNeill, who is making a real fist of mixing his career over jumps with a flat riding apprenticeship, content to lob along in midfield as English Gambler and Leitrim Lad shared pacemaking duties out in front.

Portia Matthews on Berry The Cash was first to move at the 800m as she attacked and quickly shook off all pursuers except Suliman, who tracked through on the inner to issue his challenge at the second last fence.

The pair were locked together over the final obstacle with Suliman pulling out more to take the decision by a long head, with race favourite Happy Star battling into third 25 lengths astern, without looking a winning chance.

“He handles bad ground well and his ability on the flat helped him out today,” Nelson said.

“I actually thought he could have finished closer in the Rotorua Cup first up, but he just couldn’t get handy to them early on.

“He is very tough, jumps well and I expect he will have a good season if he keeps going the way he is at the moment.”

Nelson is unsure about the future path for Suliman as he is waiting for an announcement on what the jumping programme will look like at the traditional Riccarton Grand National Carnival later in the winter.

“He is a type who would be well suited at Riccarton, but until we know what is going on down there it’s hard to make any plans for him,” he said.

The Nelson and McDougal stable proved their versatility as a training combination when one of last year’s stars of the hurdling caper, Nedwin, bolted home in an open 2200m contest on the flat to provide the Hastings-based team with a winning double on the day.

Later on the programme it was the combination of accomplished jumps jockey Aaron Kuru and rugged chaser Des De Jeu making headlines again as they combined to take out the LJ Hooker Manawatu Steeplechase (4000m) at Trentham.

Kuru and Des De Jeu gained notoriety around the world back in June 2018 when they bungled the first fence in a maiden steeplechase, which saw Kuru thrown from the saddle before remounting his charge and steering him to an implausible victory.

Kuru, who currently plies his trade in Australia, was reunited with the Jo Rathbone-trained ten-year-old for the first time since 2020 on Saturday and produced a front-running peach as he guided Des De Jeu to an all-the-way victory.

Des De Jeu measured his fences perfectly on the famous figure-eight circuit and kept up a powerful gallop to score by six lengths from Donardo and Locally Sauced who fought bravely on the testing Heavy10 surface.