Racing Victoria jumps handicapper David Hegan told The Standard the Patrick Payne-trained Zed Em will be handicapped with a minimum of 69kg for the iconic jumping race.

“Nominations for the Grand Annual close on Thursday and the weights will be released on Friday,” Hegan said.

“I can confidently say Zed Em will be the top-weight and will carry a minimum of 69kg. I’m mindful of the poor record of horses that have to carry 69kg or more. Zed Em has incredible form going into the Grand Annual, but his Great Eastern Steeplechase win was in a set-weights and penalties race, while the Grand Annual is a handicap. Zed Em has been well placed in his career by Patrick.”

Zed Em has won 10 of his 15 jumping races while stablemate No Song No Supper – who won the feature jumping race in 2016 and ran second in last year’s event – looks likely to carry 67kg on Thursday week, according to Hegan.

“No Song No Supper is a tricky one to weigh,” he said. “Weights were raised last year when No Song No Supper ran second. The difficult thing about sorting out No Song No Supper’s weight is he has not won a steeplechase since his 2016 victory in the Grand Annual.”

Al Garhood is the last horse in the carried 69kg to win his second Grand Annual in 2011. 

Hegan said that New Zealand-bred jumper Monarch Chimes may be the interesting runner in the Grand Annual if his connections decide to go down that path, after an impressive steeplechase win at Pakenham last week.

CLEMMENSEN will make his long-awaited jumps debut for Quinton Scott in a maiden hurdle at Warrnambool next week, after scoring a dogged win over Prospector and Valhalla Princess on the flat at Werribee last Thursday.

Scott, who holds the incredible record of having at least one runner at the Warrnambool Carnival for the 44 years, will extend that number to 45 next week when he saddles up at least two runners over the three-day event.

“Clemmensen looks like my best chance of getting a win,” the popular trainer said. “He’s won his last two on the flat and is very fit. We’ve done a lot of schooling over the jumps and he is coming along really well, but I believe he will be a better jumper next season with this year’s experience behind him. I think steeplechase races will be his go. The maiden hurdle at Warrnambool looks like being a strong race.”

Tough jumper Rocky Affair etched Scott’s name into the history books at Warrnambool in 1984, winning the Brierly-Grand Annual Steeplechase double for the respected horseman. Next week, he joins apprentice jockey Melissa Julius as ambassadors for the carnival.

“The win by Rocky Affair in 1984 seems so long ago, but on the other hand it’s only seems like yesterday,” he said. “It’s great to be acknowledged and to be with Melissa is extra special. I’ve watched her career closely and she’s ridden for me on lots of occasions, so it’s wonderful to be an ambassador with her.”

Julius rode a double at Hamilton last Friday, winning on Jocka’s Truce and Maxey Campo.

HONEST Hamilton-trained mare Jester Halo may have her next run in the $275,000 Queen Of The South Stakes at Morphettville on May 5, following an unlucky fourth placing in a $120,000 Listed race at Caulfield on Saturday.

The stewards’ report says Jester Halo was slow to begin and was held up for clear running passing the 300 metre mark before shifting out approaching the 200 metre mark and making contact with Flying Jess which became unbalanced. 

Trainer Darren Kolpin was upbeat about Jester Halo’s performance.

“I thought it was a very good run,” Kolpin said.

“She was beaten by just over two lengths. With any luck she should have run a place. She’s a tough mare who just keeps on trying. I would say at this stage we’ll aim her at the Queen Of The South. The race is a jump in class but she deserves to have a crack at it.” Jester Halo took her stake earnings to more than $186,000 with the fourth placing.

Kolpin revealed Jester Halo”s connections had parted with $12,000 for a yearling half-brother by Good Journey to the consistent mare.

THE late Jocka Baillie’s legacy at Warrnambool’s May Carnival continues next week. Baillie trained Galleywood to win the 1986 Grand Annual Steeplechase, and Billingsford was under his care when he was successful in the 1996 Warrnambool Cup.

Jocka’s Truce, named after the Warrnambool trainer, won a restricted race at Hamilton last Friday and will be entered for a race at Warrnambool next Thursday, according to his trainer Allan Clark.

“Jocka’s Truce was the last horse Jocka bred before he passed away,” Clark said.

“His wife Judy and daughter Robyn are in the ownership of Jocka’s Truce, plus his good mate John Pollard.

“He’s been a difficult horse to train but he’s just starting to put it all together. We had to win at Hamilton to run at Warrnambool.

“The 1300 metre race next Thursday looks an ideal race at this time of his campaign.”

Jocka’s Truce has won two of his seven starts and picked up more than $30,000 in stakemoney for his owners.