After showing stakes potential early, Jigsaw lost his way and was gelded, and it has been the making of him.
The Cindy Alderson-trained son of Manhattan Rain is three from three since his operation. Coming off a win in the Listed Doveton Stakes at Caulfield, Jigsaw made all the running, and answered every call from Daniel Moor to defeat the fast-finishing Shamino (Shamus Award) by three-quarters of a length in the Listed Nick Johnstone Real Estate Christmas Stakes (1100m) at Sandown-Hillside on Boxing Day. Rose Quartz (Written Tycoon) was a short-half-head back in third.
“He was under siege a long way out, and I was surprised how he kept finding and finding. He won by a reasonably comfortable margin in the end,” Cindy Alderson said.
“All credit to him and a lovely ride by Daniel. The horse is at the top of his game at the moment. It is a fair effort for any horse to win three high-quality sprint races in a row.
“If the Oakleigh Plate was at Caulfield, I would be happier, but it’s not going to be, so it was the idea to come here and have a look at it, and he got the job done.
“He likes to be fresh, and this was off five weeks (break), with a trial.
The Lynn Alderson homebred advances his record to seven wins, a second and two thirds from 17 starts, with earnings of $639,500.
A half-brother to The Listed Tasmanian Oaks runner-up Queen Adele (Adelaide), Jigsaw is the best of three winners from as many to race for the winning Lonhro mare Demandz, a daughter of the stakes-winning Commands mare Loaded Command.
Demandz has been a heartbreak in recent years, with two of her last three foals dying. She has a yearling filly by Foxwedge.
Manhattan Rain stood his first season at Eddie Rigg’s Geisel Park Stud this spring. The Group 1 winning son of Encosta de Lago retired to Arrowfield Stud in 2010 and relocated to Blue Gum Farm in 2017.
