Jimmysstar (NZ) emphatically announced he was anything but a spent force as a major player in Australia’s feature sprint races with a brilliant win in Sunday’s Group 1 Manikato Stakes at Caulfield.
The enigmatic sprinter logged Group 1 win number four when he rounded up his rivals in the $2 million 1200-metre event that was run at Caulfield for the first time with Moonee Valley under reconstruction.
Caulfield is a happy hunting ground for the seven-year-old son of Per Incanto, who also has an Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and C F Orr Stakes (1400m) to his name at Caulfield, and trainer Ciaron Maher was thrilled to see him return to his best on what was a red-letter day for the stable.
“When he lets rip, there’s no better horse,” Maher said of his fifth winner for the day.
“I’m just thrilled, he’s such a little ripper of a horse. To have him out of form, or not quite at his best is a hard pill to swallow, but that was pretty special.”
Jimmysstar (NZ) was given an ice-cold steer from regular partner Ethan Brown, who was able to extricate a way to the outside just before straightening to allow the gelding to unleash his trademark finish.
The $6.50 chance ran past all-bar one rival in the final 400m to get home by three-quarters of a length from Extragalactic ($5), who powered home to finish a long-head in advance of defending champion Charm Stone ($21).
Beiwacht, the three-time Group 1 winner who started $3.20 favourite, was unable to dictate in front and weakened in the straight to finish ninth, beaten just over four lengths.
The victory was Jimmysstar’s first since his C F Orr Stakes success last November and Brown got a kick out of seeing him back to his best.
“Not many horses can do that,” Brown said. “His sectionals would be off the chart.
“I think that feeling he gives you, you can’t compare it to much. It is unreal. It would be like winning a Grand Final, in footy terms.
“I’m quite speechless. I’m so proud of this horse and I’m glad he got the job done today.”
Jimmysstar’s win came three races after Maher enjoyed a similarly satisfying result with Pride Of Jenni in the $500,000 Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m), while he also celebrated success with Threads, Royal Supremacy (Ire) and Over The Bridge.
“It’s an amazing day. Alice [his partner] and my two daughters, they’d be watching on and I wish they were here,” Maher said.
“I could not be more proud of the team. We’ve got an amazing team.”
Beaten Jockeys:
Mark Zahra (Giga Kick): “He’s ticking along OK. Just with the rail out and being back on the inside, it was not really the set up we wanted.”
Craig Williams (Pericles): “It’s the first time he’s competed over 1200 metres and he didn’t get the cleanest path at all throughout the whole straight, so under those circumstances he’s acquitted himself well.”
Brad Rawiller (Rothfire): “I’m happy with him. We wanted to ride him a bit more forward and it was pretty tempo, that first couple of hundred, and when we came back off that I just think him being older now he needs to travel and bring me into the race rather than trying to make things happen to be in the race.”
Nash Rawiller (Beiwacht): “He got a little bit jammed up out of the gates and come out of that and really smoked through. I just couldn’t get him into the same rhythm as normal and I just felt prior to completely straightening up he hit a patch of ground that he faltered in slightly and lost a bit of confidence. There’ll be another day for him. I didn’t knock him around up the straight because there was no need to. He got it all wrong.”
Luke Nolen (Gallant Son): “He was sound. He presented and he ran out of condition, so he’ll be improved for the run.”
Tim Clark (Beadman): “He struggled a little bit this way of going for the first time. Slick race and they just had him run off his legs most of the way.”
Zac Lloyd (Napoleonic): “He just didn’t come up underneath me as he normally does. I thought he had a nice run, he presented as if he was going to let down but he just didn’t let down.”
Harry Coffey (Oliveanotherday): “I thought he was really good. He did a really good job, had his chance in the straight, but showed that he can mix it with that class of horse.”
Damian Lane (Charm Stone): “She’s gone super. Just had to use her a bit from the wide draw and it just told late. She kicked really strongly and was just out on her feet late. She’s gone huge.”
Jamie Mott (My Gladiola): “Definitely below her best. Just strange that she dropped the bridle from the 600 and basically didn’t pick up at all. Hopefully there’s nothing too majorly wrong with her, but it was definitely below her best.”
Blake Shinn (Geegees Mistruth): “I was happy. She ran a credible fifth, hit the line nice and is going well.”
James McDonald (Extragalactic): “She was super. Gallant in defeat. She executed beautifully and she’s got a big win in her.”
