Champion jumps jockey Brett Scott says staying ability is the biggest asset for six-year-old Yamanaura who has emerged as this year's dominant hurdler.Trained by John Wheeler, Yamanaura has won three of his last four starts but would have had a perfect winning streak but for his neck second to Hooker Road in the Australian Hurdle (3400m) at Sandown on June 13.His goal is the Grand National Hurdle (4530m) at the end of the month and with Hooker Road resting in a paddock it looks at his mercy shou

Champion jumps jockey Brett Scott says staying ability is the biggest asset for six-year-old Yamanaura who has emerged as this year's dominant hurdler.

Trained by John Wheeler, Yamanaura has won three of his last four starts but would have had a perfect winning streak but for his neck second to Hooker Road in the Australian Hurdle (3400m) at Sandown on June 13.

His goal is the Grand National Hurdle (4530m) at the end of the month and with Hooker Road resting in a paddock it looks at his mercy should he win Sunday's traditional lead-up, the Lachal Hurdle (3900m) at Sandown.

Scott has won most major jumps races in Australia and has every reason to be confident that Yamanaura can give him his first win in the Lachal.

"The horse is going super," he said.

He said Yamanaura was bought as a yearling to be a jumper and faithful to that plan seven of his 16 starts have been over jumps.

Wheeler has been patient with him and as a late four-year-old he won his first hurdle race at Matamata in New Zealand at only his sixth start.

Scott said it had taken a long time for Yamanaura to mature and that he was still getting the hang of racing.

"He hasn't really learned how to be a racehorse yet and does a few things wrong," he said.

"He wobbles around corners and overraces a little bit but has good staying ability.

"A few times he has looked beaten but he has picked himself up to win."

Yamanaura scored his first hurdle win of the year at Sandown 10 days before the Australian Hurdle and at his last two starts has won the Mosstrooper Hurdle (3300m) at Sandown and the Moonee Valley Hurdle (4050m).

"He is an improving jumper but we always thought that would be the case as he went up in distance," Scott said.

He said Sandown was a preferred track for him.

"Even though he won at Moonee Valley last start he struggled with the tight turns a little bit," Scott said.

"He's that old-style looking jumper, a lovely big scopey horse who is only going to get better."

Scott is also trying to win Sunday's Crisp Steeplechase for the first time on New Zealander Spirit Of Alaton.

Trained by Rachael Frost, Spirit Of Alaton is lining up for his last of six Australian jumps starts this campaign.

While he is yet to win, he ran second to Zagata in the Redditch Steeplechase at Sandown on July 1 and was third to the ill-fated Geeorb in the Macdonald Steeplechase at Sandown 10 days later.