Byerley Park trainer Steven Cole is hoping Chicago Jack can make the perfect start to his racing career when he contests the Group 3 Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m) at New Plymouth on Saturday.
The two-year-old son of All Too Hard was purchased by Cole, in association with bloodstock agent Bevan Smith, out of Baramul Stud’s 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale draft last year for A$155,000, and Cole has been pleased with his purchase.
“He is quite a well-bred horse,” Cole said. “We gave Bevan a short-list on breeding and he sent back what he liked, and he (Chicago Jack) was the top pick.
“He has got a bit of breeding there and Dad has had a bit of luck with that family many years ago when he was training. The stars aligned and we were lucky enough to be able to get him.”
Chicago Jack has had just the one trial to date, finishing runner-up behind Osteria in their 950m heat at Tauranga earlier this month, and Cole is pleased with the way he has progressed since that hit-out.
“He was pretty green (in his trial), he missed the jump by three or four lengths, then got to the outside and bobbled around a bit,” Cole said.
“He won a jumpout after his trial the following week. He seems quite an exciting horse.
“Ryan (Elliot, jockey) gave him a pretty good opinion and you have to go off what senior riders think of them sometimes. We will go down there and hope to run well.”
Chicago Jack will be one of half a dozen debutants in the field on Saturday, with top horse racing bookmakers installing him an +1700 joint fourth favourite for the Taranaki feature, with the undefeated Captured By Love heading the market at -285.71.
“Apart from the two Te Akau horses, it is basically a maiden race,” Cole said. “You don’t get to race for $100,000 very often, so we thought, with the way he trialled, we would have a crack.
“We will see how he goes there and then we can make a bit of a plan of what we do.”
Chicago Jack will be joined on the float trip south by stablemate Per La Vita, who will with Tegan Newman to do the steering.
“Per La Vita was quite impressive last start when she won,” Cole said. “She did a bit of work to get to the front and kicked on strongly. She seems to have improved, and you would think she would be a top three chance in that race.”
Cole was at Karaka earlier this week and is happy with his sole purchase at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale, securing lot 265, a Per Incanto colt out of a half-sister to Group One winners Werther and Toffee Tongue, for $160,000.
“We bought a Per Incanto colt from Little Avondale,” he said. “He is a nice, athletic horse with a bit of breeding, and we were very happy to get him.
“We have had a little bit of luck with Per Incanto in the past with Mascarinto, so we were happy to get another one.”
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