Detonator Jack explosive at Flemington

[Wandering Eyes]

Lightly-tried four-year-old Detonator Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry) is a horse on an upward trajectory.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained son of Jakkalberry provided racing fans with a glimpse of his talents when sluicing through the field under a cool John Allen ride to land the Memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (1400m) in impressive fashion on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.

The victory is the fourth from five starts for the Kiwi import, whose only blemish came when third in the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m).

While the Maher and Eustace team were busy savouring their Melbourne Cup triumph with Gold Trip (Outstrip), Detonator Jack’s comfortable win shows what artillery the stable have for the future, with connections making a concerted decision to give the horse a decent break after his three-year-old season.

“He had a long preparation and we thought he deserved a decent layoff,” stable representative Jack Turnbull said.

“We brought him back to try and win the Ballarat Cup (Listed, 2000m) but the timing just didn’t work out. The connections gave us plenty of time to build him into this campaign and he can go all the way into the autumn now, he doesn’t have to go for another break.

“He is a very exciting horse and David and Ciaron have got a huge opinion of him.

“He is a versatile animal. He trialled up on the synthetic at Ballarat and he has got a wonderful action but he also excels in soft ground, so when the rain came today, especially over the shorter trip of seven furlongs, we thought it would play into his hands.”

Bred by Craig Dunphy and his wife Steph, Detonator Jack is a son of the late Jakkalberry and the No Excuse Needed mare Red Delicious (NZ), who is also the dam of the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) winner Madison County (NZ) (Pins).

The exciting galloper, who will likely be suited over a staying trip, races for Darren Dance’s Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock.

Dance was involved in the ownership of the international top-flight winner and Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) placegetter Jakkalberry.

He retired as the foundation sire at Luigi Muollo’s Novara Park in 2014, but sadly succumbed to an intestinal infection four years later.

Dance has understandably kept a close watch on the progeny of the Storming Home stallion and when opportunity knocked in the form of Detonator Jack he sealed the deal, subsequently syndicating the gelding and remaining in the ownership.

“I raced Jakkalberry and he was sold to Luigi after he finished racing and I was always keen to race some of his progeny,” he said.

“I got a phone call out of the blue from Mike Rennie and said he had been out to dinner with a mate of his (Cambridge horseman Mark Brooks) and he had a Jakkalberry that he owned half of with his partner.

“He broke it in and reckoned it had a bit of x-factor. I looked up the pedigree and ended up buying it off his word.”

Rennie, now Waikato Stud’s Business Manager, had previously recommended Yogi (NZ) to Dance and the Raise The Flag gelding went on to win eight races, including a brace at Listed level.

“I’ve known Mike for a long time and dealt with him when he was working with Michael Wallace as an agent and we became quite good friends,” Dance said.

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