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The Shackler claimed the first prestige event of the jumping season when second best at Te Rapa had looked more likely to be his reward.

The Paul Nelson-trained veteran measured his jumps well in or near the lead under Aaron Kuru during Saturday’s Porritt Sand Waikato Hurdle (3200m) before he was hotly challenged by It’s A Wonder three flights from home.

The latter then lost his chance when the Harvey Wilson-prepared gelding met the second last hurdle poorly and all but dislodged rider Will Gordon, who did well to stay aboard and finish runner-up.

Fortunes were reversed in the Neil Treweek Steeplechase (3900m) when It’s A Wonder’s stablemate Venerate was successful under Gordon after Nelson’s Perry Mason fell at the final fence when looking the winner for Kuru.

The Shackler was having his first jumping outing of his campaign and a winter programme has yet to be confirmed for the 11-year-old.

“We’ll take it one at a time,” Nelson said. “We could come back here (for the K. S. Browne Hurdle) or wait for the Hawke’s Bay Hurdles. We just have to avoid the really bad tracks.”

The Shackler has now won four times, including last season’s Wellington Hurdles (3100m), from his current quarters after eight successes for former trainer Michael Dromgool.

“He’s a lovely horse to train and all the work had been done for us,” Nelson said.

Notabadrooster, the outsider of the field, took third money ahead of Yardstick and the 2013 winner Sea King, who was under pressure 800m from home.