More to Come from Kiwi Bred Detonator Jack

Media Release - Tuesday November 1

Lightly-tried four-year-old Detonator Jack 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.

Detonator Jack winning at Flemington on Tuesday. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli

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, 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.

Advertisement

“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, who is also the dam of the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) winner Madison County.

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 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. – NZ Racing Desk

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Sires With Winners - Sunday November 3
Here is the full list of 59 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Cup Day Stakes-Winner for So You Think
The Listed VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) for three year-olds on Cup Day at Flemington drew a competitive field of up and comers with So You Think gelding Opening Address stamping himself as a bright prospect for the future with a stylish victory.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
Melbourne Cup Tips – Tara Talks Racing
Tara Talks Racing is now online having had a Sunday arvo drink or two as we go through the Cup horses, so what do Clocker and I like for this year’s Melbourne Cup?
Antrim Coast to Fly Flag for The Oaks Stud
The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
Two heats at the Rosehill trials on Monday morning over 900m and the quickest of those was won by an expensive son of Golden Slipper winning first season sire Farnan.
Kiwi Mare Positivity Ready for Cup
Talented Kiwi mare Positivity will step out on the greatest stage for stayers at Flemington on Tuesday, when she contests the A$8 million Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Storm Boy Headed to Ireland
Coolmore have today announced via Twitter that top class Justify (USA) colt Storm Boy will be continuing his racing career in Ireland in 2025 under the care of Aidan O’Brien.