By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk
The Jason and Megan Teaz-trained Brookies Jaffa will be vying for a hattrick of wins at Cambridge Raceway on Friday night.
The five-year-old gelding has won his last two races at the Waikato track and he will reunite with driver Sailesh Abernethy in the Plumbing World Mobile Pace (2700m).
His trainers have been pleased with his recent form and expect another bold showing from the son of Auckland Reactor on Friday.
“I am rapt with him,” Jason Teaz said. “He has been a stable favourite since we got him. The last two starts were no surprise to us that he won because he had been working so well and he has been absolutely loving life.”
While Brookies Jaffa’s formline doesn’t read well over 2700m, with seven starts for no placings, that bodes no concerns for Teaz.
“He has galloped away from three stands at Cambridge over 2700m, including the Cambridge Cup, but he went quite big races afterwards,” he said.
“Out of the seven runs over the distance I don’t think he has run out of the top six, apart from when he galloped out, it is certainly not a problem.”
The scratchings of four horses, including stablemate Armed Reactor, has brought Friday’s field size down to six, and Teaz expects the race to turn into a tactical affair as a result.
“Unfortunately, Armed Reactor was a little bit sore in a heel. We were quite happy with him going into Friday, so it was a bit sad to have to scratch him,” Teaz said.
“There are only six in it now so it’s going to turn into a tactical race, but the way he raced last time, where he came from the back, I don’t think it matters where he ends up in the run, he will give his all.”
Teaz will also line-up Majestic Harry in the Mico Handicap Trot (2200m).
“He has just been slow away and has ended back up on the fence in his last two starts, and last start he got held up badly and really ran home quite well,” he said.
“We are desperately trying to get a penalty free win with him. We have got Kerryn (Tomlinson, junior driver) on and she has had a pretty good association with us lately, so we are hoping that continues.
“If he gets away, he is going to give himself a great chance.”
With 15 wins to their name this term, the Teaz’s are enjoying their best season to date, and it couldn’t have come at a better time, with Jason losing his presenting role at TAB Trackside last year as a result of COVID-19 cuts.
“When COVID hit they decided to terminate my contract, which meant I had no choice but to carry on training full-time to try and survive,” Teaz said.
“It has been hard because I have lost a lot of income and I miss the race calling hugely. It has been a transition for me.
“But our results this season have been amazing. At this stage we have had 15 wins with nine different horses.
“Now we have got to go forward and try and match it next year. We have got a lot of young horses coming through so we might have a bit of a slower season next year, but hopefully there are one or two there who will come out and win a few races for us.”
While Teaz is missing his role as a racecaller, on Thursday night he had the opportunity to dust off his binoculars to call a couple of races at his old haunt, Forbury Park, which was having its final race meeting.
“I spent six years calling here,” Teaz said. “Even though it may have been two degrees or pouring with rain, I always looked forward to calling at Forbury. I always said I would much rather call a Forbury maiden than a premier race anywhere else.
“It will always hold a special place for me.”
