Detonator Jack (NZ) Goes Off at Sandown

Media Release - Saturday December 10

Sent out as one of the day’s hottest favourites right across Australasia, Kiwi-bred gelding Detonator Jack lived up to those lofty expectations in style at Sandown on Saturday.

Detonator Jack wins at Sandown - image Bruno Canatelli

The Group One performer went into the A$150,000 Tile Importer Handicap (1600m) as a winner of four of his six starts, and he had been narrowly beaten by Green Fly in his last-start appearance at Ballarat on November 19.

Saturday’s rematch with that rival was a very different story as Detonator Jack unleashed an irresistible finish from second last as the $1.65 favourite, powering home over the top of Pounding to score by half a length. Green Fly finished another five lengths away in fifth.

Advertisement

“He was workmanlike today, but in saying that he had a big job,” said Harry Coffey, who rode Detonator Jack for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. “At the 800, I looked up and was a fair way off them.

“I just pulled out and made my own run without getting a cart into the race, which is very hard for horses to do – you have to make a run around them on the circle, and then you’ve got the big, long straight here at Hillside and you have to chase them down the whole way.

“He got there with a relative bit of ease, and then he does have a good look around once he gets to the front. He’s always been a little bit of a lad, and he’s still got a couple of those quirks there. So even though he didn’t win by much, he still had a bit in hand. He’s just workmanlike and gets it done.”

Detonator Jack has now had seven starts for five wins and two placings, which includes a close third in the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville in May. He has earned A$304,500 in stakes for Darren Dance’s Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock.

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.

Detonator Jack was offered by Prima Park during Book 1 of Karaka 2020, where he was passed in with a reserve of $100,000.

Detonator Jack was the second New Zealand-bred winner in a row on Saturday’s Sandown card, following on from the highly promising Tasman Park in the Thoroughbred Club Australia Handicap (1600m). Trained by Mike Moroney, the four-year-old Ocean Park gelding is now undefeated in three appearances and has earned A$101,750.

The Peter Moody-trained Life Lessons rounded out a winning treble for NZ-bred runners when she burst away from her rivals in the last 200m to extend her current winning run to three in a row when taking out a Benchmark 78 1400m contest. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Tile Importer (Bm100) 1600m

Sandown-Hillside Track: Good(3) Time: 1:36.06
1
Detonator Jack
- 4g Jakkalberry (IRE) x Red Delicious (NZ) (No Excuse Needed (GB))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: H Coffey 54
2
0.5
Pounding
- 4g Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Silent Entrance (GB) (Beat Hollow (GB))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: Carleen Hefel 51
3
3.3
So Si Bon
- 9g So You Think (NZ) x Black Minx (NZ) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: Ben & J D Hayes Rdr: L Nolen 58.5
4
3.6
Black Sail
- 8g Savabeel (AUS) x Ennerdale (GB) (Singspiel (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Teodore Nugent 55.5
5
5.4
Green Fly
- 4h Frankel (GB) x Via Pisa (FR) (Pivotal (GB))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: Matthew Cartwright 51.5
6
5.5
Flash Aah
- 7g Lucas Cranach (GER) x Never Despair (AUS) (Hotel Grand (AUS))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: C Newitt 55.5
7
6.5
Extra Elusive
- 8g Mastercraftsman (IRE) x Nessina (USA) (Hennessy (USA))
Tnr: Symon Wilde Rdr: Craig Williams 56
8
8.5
Ziegfeld
- 6g New Approach (IRE) x Maid To Dream (GB) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: Gavin Bedggood Rdr: Alana Kelly 51.5
9
48.5
Nancho
- 8g Tai Chi (GER) x Nantana (GER) (Paolini (GER))
Tnr: Archie Alexander Rdr: Declan Bates 60
More Reading...
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.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
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.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
Kiwi Bred Detonator Jack wins $1million The Gong
With a spectacular performance in The Illawarra Mercury Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday, Detonator Jack delivered a second consecutive New Zealand-bred victory in the A$1 million race.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.