After showing ability in Melbourne’s bigger two-year-old races, Jigsaw returns for an off-season race at Caulfield.
Cranbourne trainer Cindy Alderson wants to get a better idea of where her talented two-year-old Jigsaw sits in the pecking order.
After a three-run summer campaign that took in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield in February, Jigsaw makes his return in the Unleash Your Neds Toolbox Handicap (1100m) on Saturday.
Jigsaw defeated Blue Diamond victor Artorius on debut at Geelong in January before finishing third in a Blue Diamond Prelude on his way to finishing eighth in the Blue Diamond.
“It will be interesting as to see how the early Blue Diamond form stacks up against the later in the year two-year-old form,” Alderson told RSN.
“They (the later ones) have needed extra time to come to fruition so it will be an interesting exercise.
“I’m still not 100 per cent sure just where he fits and Saturday will give me a guide.
“He didn’t go on to Sydney so he had plenty of time in the paddock after the Blue Diamond and the plan was to get him in before the other horses because he could get away from us a bit.”
Alderson said Jigsaw had grown during his break and believes the son of Manhattan Rain is going through a growth spurt at present.
But that has not stopped the colt from producing some smart work in training and in jump-outs.
“He looks rangier than he did before,” Alderson said.
“He was a black nugget before, very well formed and looked as though he was fully developed, but this prep he’s probably grown an inch or two and is lankier than he was.
“I don’t think the track (condition) will be an issue especially as he’s been trialling on tracks with a bit of give, especially here at Cranbourne.
“Caulfield shouldn’t be that wet anyway. They’ll just be getting their toe into I would imagine.”
