|
Nishiazabu by Ice Point from Hello Doctor was bred by Bob Jemison for Mark
and Jodie Hall (Bob Jemison joined the Halls as joint owners) he was foaled
in Kilmore in late September 2008 and has been with his current owners when
not at the racing stables since he was a weanling. Nishiazabu was named by
the Hall’s son after a suburb in Tokyo where the family once lived.
Nishiazabu started trialling as an autumn 2yo from the Mornington stable of
Neil Walsh and after 2 further trials as a spring 3yo and one in the autumn
he made his debut with a 4th of 12 in a Maiden over 1500m at
Mornington. Two further unplaced runs and he was spelled and when Mark
and Jodie Hall moved back to Adelaide they brought NIshiazabu with them and
sent him to Kevin & Heather Frew in South Australia to continue racing.
After two runs over the shorter distances he was placed over 2050 at
Strathalbyn in December 2012 before winning at the Oakbank Christmas meeting
in a Maiden over 2150m. Three unplaced runs and a spell followed.
As a spring 5yo he showed ability over the longer distances with placings
over 2050 at Strathalbyn and 2200 at Murray Bridge and Balaklava later
followed by a third at Mornington over 2400m and a third at Oakbank at the
Christmas meeting over 2150m. Given a let up Nishiazabu’s preparation
for his jumping career began as an autumn 5yo with placings at Strathalbyn
and Balaklava before winning over 2100m at Gawler in heavy conditions in
April 2014. He was then second in a Hurdle trial at Oakbank in the lead up
to Easter before winning the 3600m flat race at Oakbank at that time noted
as the longest flat race in Australia. Three weeks later he was second in
another Hurdle trial at Oakbank before running third in the 2400m Mount
Gambier Cup. Unplaced at Morphettville he then made his Hurdle debut
finishing midfield at Morphettville behind Urban Explorer. He was again
unplaced at his next Hurdle start at Morphettville behind Thubiaan and Urban
Explorer (both also later multiple feature jumps race winners) before a
spell.
Returning as a 6yo he had a light 5 run prep before a freshen up to prepare
for his second jumps season. Nishiazabu was third in an Oakbank trial then
third in the Thomas Foods Steeplechase at Oakbank before a third in a trial
at Oakbank and then fourth in the 2015 Von Doussa Steeplechase behind
Thubiaan, Lord of the Song and Jervois. Two days later he was third in the
Great Eastern Steeplechase behind Lord of the Song and Palemo and was
becoming well known for his dashing front running efforts. Nishazabu then
went to the Warrnambool carnival in early May where he fell in the Brierly
Steeplechase before a 6th place in the Grand Annual
Steeplechase. A freshen up before two flat and two steeplechase runs all
unplaced followed before a spell.
Nishiazabu resumed over the summer with two flat runs before winning over
2100m at Gawler (where he settled in fourth early before making a run around
the home turn and eventually wearing down leader Gangster’s Run to win
narrowly), a third over 2050m at Strathalbyn and a second in the Highweight
over 3000m at Warrnambool. Then it was back to Oakbank where he won a
Steeple trial before winning the Thomas Foods Steeplechase. Nishiazabu went
to a clear lead before the first leading Mannertone. Going strongly
Nishiazabu held the lead after the first lap ahead of Mannertone then King
Triton then Spying on You. Over the fallen log he dashed well clear of
Mannertone as the field tried to give chase. But Nishiazabu was in full
flight and sailed over the last two fences and then sprinted down the long
straight to the line passing the post a mile ahead of the rest. He then
returned to Oakbank two weeks later for the 2016 Von Doussa Steeplechase
where he went straight to the lead from Spying on You then Thubiaan in the
big field. At the end of the first lap he lead well from Thubiaan then
Spying on You. Little changed until Spying on You threw out a challenge to
Nishiazabu over the last two fences and joining him on the home turn for the
long run down the straight. Again Nishiazabu showed a turn of foot on the
flat and dashed away to win by several lengths from Thubiaan who finished on
late with Lord of the Song third.
Two days later
Thubiaan was too strong over the longer trip in the Great Eastern
Steeplechase with Lord of the Song third. Freshened Nishiazabu then went to
the SA Grand National Steeplechase at Morphettville where he led on settling
from King Triton then Zataglio followed by Spying on You. Around the 1000m
mark King Triton tried to go up and challenge NIshiazabu but by the 600m his
challenge was over has Nishiazabu started his run for home as King Triton
started to drop out. Into the straight and Nishiazabu put in bis sprint for
home as Zataglio then Spying on you tried to give chase but again he was too
speedy as he jumped the last two fences faultlessly winning his second
feature race for the season. It was then a second in the Thackeray
Steeplechase at Warrnambool in July and a fifth to the champion jumper Wells
in the Australian Grand National Steeplechase at Ballarat finished his
season. Nishiazabu was recognised on a national level at the end of the
season being one of the shortlisted nominees for the 2016 Australian Jumper
of the Year.
Back for the 2017 jumps season Nishiazabu had several flat runs before a
second in an Oakbank steeple trial then went to the Thomas Foods
Steeplechase again where as usual he went straight to the lead from Spying
on You and Honey Steels Gold. In the home straight the first time on the
long run between jumps Spying on You took over the front running from
Nishiazabu but by the second jump on the second lap Nishiazabu was moving
forward again and took a clear lead as they turned to head up to the fallen
log. Honey Steel’s Gold tried to challenge as they turned for the final two
jumps but became unbalanced and made a mistake as Nishiazabu started his
sprint and flew over the final two fences turning for home well clear of the
field. Again Nishiazabu had too much speed on the flat racing away to win
from I’ll’ava’alf and Spying on You. Another second in a Oakbank steeple
trial and he then went to Oakbank Easter running third to Zed Em and Lord of
the Song in the Von Doussa and 5th in the Great Eastern
Steeplechase behind Spying on You. Nishiazabu then went to Warrnambool
where he was midfield in the Brierly behind Zed Em’ and Now and Zen. A let
up followed before he went to Warrnambool for a third in the Thackeray
Steeplechase again behind Zed Em before being retired from the race in the
Mosstrooper Steeplechase at Bendigo. He was soon spelled to prepare for the
2018 jumps season.
Now 9yo Nishiazabu was second first up over 1200m at Murray Bridge in
December where he dropped out to a long last early. Around the turn he was
still several lengths off last from the closely packed field and he was then
hampered when a runner lost his rider ahead of him. In the final 100m
Nishiazabu started to charge down the outside to grab second right on the
line. He then had several unplaced flat runs in the lead up to the Oakbank
‘Gourmet Gallop’ meeting where the Von Doussa had now been moved to be the
feature race. In the Von Doussa Steeplechase Nishiazabu took up his
customary lead role from the start leaping magnificently over the first
fence and continued in front for the first lap before Zed Em took over in
the straight the first time with Nishiazabu just behind in second going
well. After coming down the hill towards the last two fences Nishiazabu
lost ground and became unbalanced into the second last fence where he fell.
Both horse and jockey were fine and Nishiazabu was soon floated back to the
mounting yard where he walked off the float like a rockstar. Within two
days although Nishiazabu was fine and could have continued on to the Great
Eastern connections decided it was in his best interests instead to be
retired to his owners property at Cherry Gardens near Adelaide.
Nishiazabu had become a cult hero in jumping in South Australia particularly
at Oakbank where he has raced at the Easter Carnival for the past four years
with his dashing displays in front. In 2018 he is invited to lead the field
out for the Great Eastern Steeple and his owners have made him available for
pats and photos from his fans while at the stalls pre and post race.
He retires with a record of 90 starts for 8 wins and 19 placings including a
jumps record of 23 starts 4 wins and 6 placings.
|
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
