A one-horse race: Jumps feature scrapped after rivals scared away

An $80,000 feature jumps race scheduled for Hamilton this weekend has been scrapped after champion Stern Idol was the only horse to accept.

The Mosstrooper Steeplechase was due to be held as the centrepiece of Sunday’s meeting at Hamilton alongside the Brendan Dreschler Hurdle.

Both races were shifted from Bendigo in 2025 after a review of the jumps racing season. Stern Idol won the race last year at $1.07. He would have been a hot favourite to go back-to-back in the 3400-metre event, carrying 70kg under the set weight and penalties conditions.

But The Straight understands that, while there were 14 nominations, the race did not attract a single acceptor outside Stern Idol, who has banked more than $1 million in a brilliant jumping career that has featured 16 wins in Australia.

Racing Victoria officials contacted several stables on Thursday morning, but none of those nominated wanted to accept for the race, given the weight Stern Idol was allotted.

RV confirmed it will discuss future programming options for the Mosstrooper with the Australian Jumps Racing Association.

However, it is unlikely to be rescheduled due to the condensed nature of the existing feature-race program for the remainder of this jumps season.

While the Mosstrooper situation involved specific circumstances, there are still concerns about the depth of jumps racing numbers in Victoria this season.

While the maiden hurdle and maiden steeple attracted capacity fields of 10 runners plus emergencies, there are just four runners in the Brendan Dreschler Hurdle.

A benchmark hurdle at Warrnambool in late June only attracted three runners after scratchings, while two other jumps races on that program only featured final fields of five and six.

Casterton’s program last week had a strong field for the maiden hurdle, but there were just four and five respectively in the subsequent hurdle and steeplechase races.