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Injury will rob the Trentham jumping specialist Brushman of the opportunity to bid for a third Wellington Steeplechase victory later this year.
He first won the figure-eight feature back in 2010, finished runner-up 12 months later and then reclaimed his Trentham title last winter in just his second raceday appearance in two years.
Brushman also has placings in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup and the Manawatu Steeplechase and last raced when he finished fifth behind the ill-fated El Patron in last year’s Grand National Steeplechase.
“He’s hurt a leg again and he probably won’t be racing this year,” Oulaghan said.
The master jumps trainer’s winter team will be headed up by the prestige race winners Wotabuzz, the 2012 Grand National Hurdles hero and also the winner of five on the flat, and the veteran Harvest The Gold.
The rising 12-year-old was turned out in September after triumphing in the Great Northern Hurdles. “He’ll be back, but not until later in the season,” Oulaghan said.
Among the younger brigade is the promising Ready Eddie, who has had three hurdle starts and was a runaway winner at Rotorua last preparation.
He is by the noted source of jumping talent Yamanin Vital and a breed that Oulaghan has enjoyed outstanding success with, including Yourtheman (Grand National, Sydenham and Waikato Hurdles, Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase) and Counter Punch (Grand National Steeplechase (twice), Grand National and Wellington Hurdles).
Upper Cut is a lightly-tried winning hurdler while Derby Dan has been a multiple placegetter over the smaller fences.
Oulaghan has, however, ruled out any thoughts of a jumping campaign for his reliable winter flat performer Rising Tide.
“He’s getting a bit old for that and I like to teach them when they’re a bit younger,” he said. “He’s been a handy horse and races like the Parliamentary (at Trentham) and a few at Ellerslie suit him on heavy tracks.”