The track at Te Aroha was a very holding Heavy 10 and saw all day some massive margins of defeat in the many jumps races but also some of the flat events. This raceday is usually held at Ellerslie but that track is closed having work done and so this day go moved to Te Rapa but that track has been a disgrace for a while and is now closed too having work done, so Te Aroha was a third cab off the rank. This Prestige Great Northern Hurdle (4200m) saw the same trifecta from the Prestige Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Riccarton happen again albeit the second and third finishers were inverted. Jackfrost, the pride of the South Island, completed the Prestige Hurdle double but did so with contrasting performances and showed his versatility not just directionally. The 'White Wonder of Wingatui' raced fourth in an eight –horse field when he won the Grand National left-handed and led the run home but today right-handed he settled down second last the inside in a fourteen-horse field. He was in a different area code midrace and even a lap out then was angled out and started to pass stoppers and overtake rivals galore to be fourth at the 600m but still quite distant. Once his new rider (the pilot when winning the Grand National was suspended for hitting this horse multiple times for no need whatsoever when it was well clear the final 200m) asked Jackfrost to give him a second lift the run home and he got a response. The 8yo officially listed as a grey gelding (he is white now) showed that will to win and after being third at the 200m and second over the fine fence then sustained his run to lead the 50m. He won easily in the end by a length and three-quarters in 5:05.53 to record his eleventh win in forty-eight starts of which five have been as a hurdler. The great white hope hurdler is now Prestige heavyweight champion of New Zealand and in eight starts over fences has finished only first or second, such is his prowess. It was his first clockwise win too just to tick yet another achievement box. Second Innings ran a game second and but for hitting the second last fence may have made this interesting but Jackfrost still could have dug deeper most likely and won anyway. He was fourteen and a half lengths behind Jackfrost when third in the Grand National but today when 2.5kg better situated got almost thirteen lengths closer. After racing sixth the 10yo gelding moved up third a 1000m out and then made a surge to lead at the 300m but could not hold out Jackfrost the closing stages. Laekeeper chased Jackfrost in vain when second in the Grand National but was eight and a half lengths behind when carrying 1kg more but today finished third with a 2.5kg swing in his favour and was beaten seven and a half lengths. Gallante tried to do the impossible and that was win his first ever hurdle race, a maiden event, and then try to win a Prestige Hurdle at his very next outing. He raced fifth the inner and was keen before being worked off and making a sharp move to dispute the pace a mile from home and then basically match motors with Laekeeper thereafter. The 8yo gelding was headed near the home turn and weakened to finish fourth beaten just over eight and a half lengths but he looks a jumper of serious scope. Kipkeino was a distant fifth beaten almost twenty lengths and then in three and a half length gaps came El Corby and then Letmeby before the margins got massive. Four more runners completed with the last home beaten almost seventy-eight lengths and three other runners pulled up either 1000m out or turning for home. Jackfrost could be a steeplechase star when he is weighted out of hurdling and that could be now unfortunately plus he is still adept on the flat. The placegetters being the same today but round the other way from the Grand National to the Great Northern showed the depth had not really improved that much but this field was definitely deeper. Gallante (8yo) could be the jumper that offers the biggest threat for Laekeeper (7yo) and the Mainland Mauler in Jackfrost (8yo) with this trio still likely to be around for a few more years yet. Hurdlers once they get asked to carry impossible imposts are the steeplechasers of the future.