Sailor Jack changed stables with a view to a jumping career, but now looms as a first black-type runner for a tyro training partnership.
The son of Jakkalberry provided the Awapuni combination of Shaun Fannin and Hazel Schofer with their first winner at Ellerslie on Saturday with a strong performance to boost his chances of a return trip north.
Sailor Jack outstayed his rivals and connections now face a nervous wait to see if he can gain a berth in the Group 2 Auckland Cup (3200m) on March 9.
“He is the first horse we have taken north and to get a result like that was wonderful,” Fannin said.
“It made the trip worthwhile, it’s a long way to go and we backed our judgment. We thought he was pretty close to the mark and it was nice to see it pay off.
“It was a wonderful ride by Craig (Grylls), he’s a real staying horse and we said to him keep him up on the speed the whole way and he won’t stop and he ran accordingly.”
Fannin also had the added bonus of sharing in the ownership of Sailor Jack with the gelding’s former trainer Gerald Innes, father of Group One-winning jockey Leith.
“Gerald gave me half after he approached me at the races at Otaki the end of last July and said I’ve got a jumper for you,” he said.
“I did a bit with him and then said to Gerald that I don’t think he’s a wet tracker. We’ve kept him ticking over and he’s a bit better than a jumper.”
Sailor Jack is currently a $26 chance in the Auckland Cup market and Fannin is hopeful of a return north for the Ellerslie feature.
“That would be the plan if he could get in, there might need a few to pull out, but if it does happen then he’s only got 52kg and he does stay well,” he said.
“He would deserve his chance and I definitely think he’ll get the two miles. On top of the ground, he’ll go all day.
“We’ve only had him for five starts and the only time he hasn’t run first or second was on a really heavy track.”
Sailor Jack was a first-up winner over a middle distance at Hawera in September before he was unplaced on a rain-affected track at New Plymouth.
He then finished runner-up during the Hawke’s Bay carnival before a break and returned to run second at Tauherenikau ahead of his latest success.
A champion jumps jockey, Fannin is in his fourth season of training and was joined this term by fiancée Schofer, who rode 123 winners with three at Group or Listed level during a career marred by weight issues.
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