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Malachite hasn’t seen a fence on raceday for nearly two years, but fortunately he’s got a long memory.
The veteran made a winning debut over hurdles at Wanganui in June, 2012 and two months later he made his last appearances over the small fences when fourth at Riccarton behind Supercharged and Krase.
“He’s a good jumper and he hasn’t forgotten how to do it,” Levin owner-trainer Peter McKenzie said.
Injury has interrupted Malachite’s career and he will make an overdue return to the jumping game in Saturday’s Te Whangai Romney Hawke’s Bay Hurdles.
“He had a tendon problem and that was why he was off the scene for a while,” McKenzie said. “He’s well now, although he might be a little bit short of race fitness.”
Malachite, who has also placed in a steeplechase, has had the benefit of just one sprint trial and an unplaced run in a Rating 75 benchmark handicap over 2200 metres in his lead-up to the Hastings Hurdle.
“He’s a nine-year-old and he hasn’t had much recent racing and we’ll see how he goes on Saturday,” McKenzie said.
“He’s not really a heavy track horse, although he’s got a reputation for being one, and I wouldn’t think of going on to Trentham.”
Malachite’s versatility is emphasised by his record of nine wins on the flat, including a victory in the 2010 Kumara Gold Nuggets.
Among his more seasoned opposition on Saturday will be the Ann Browne-trained Real Treasure, who has comfortably won his last two starts, while Aintree pushed the Australian Grand National hope Indikator to the limit in the Awapuni Hurdles.
Mahanadi is the enigma in the field following poor jumping displays so far this winter, but a return to the form that won him the Grand National Hurdles would put him firmly in the hunt.