Top run sends Jimmy reminder
JIMMY Choux claimed the hearts of New Zealand race fans back in 2011.
The Thorn Park colt trained by John Bary for Richard and Liz Wood gave the Hastings trio a lifelong memory with his Group I Rosehill Guineas win at his first race in Australia.
At his previous run he had run his NZ Derby rivals ragged and on Saturday at Trentham, his halfsister won the Group III Cuddle Stakes (1600m) almost six years after Jimmy Choux won the Guineas.
Miss Wilson, a 4-year-old Stratum mare, is developing a picket fence form-line similar to her half-brother, now a sire at Rich Hill Stud.
The Cuddle gave her four on the trot since her return from Australia, Jimmy Choux put six together on his way to winning 12 races, and her first at black-type level.
‘‘We were pretty confident,’’ Bary said. ‘‘And I just thought a fantastic ride.’’
Delivering the fantastic ride was Matamata jockey Samantha Collett.
‘‘When you’re riding horses of her quality it makes my job easy,’’ Collett said. ‘‘And she’s still improving which is a scary thing.’’
Miss Wilson will take her improvement to Te Aroha for the Group I NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1600m).
Gary Vile had a tough race day at Ellerslie on Thursday but it was Rock On to Trentham on Saturday.
His iron horse Jacksstar ran third in the $500,000 Auckland Cup at Ellerslie but damaged a flexor tendon in the process.
He will be sidelined for some time but a horse who has followed a similar path fronted up at Trentham to win Saturday’s NZ St Leger (2500m).
Rock On has always looked a star stayer in the making for the Awapuni trainer and took a giant step with Saturday’s impressive win.
‘‘We decided to miss the Auckland Cup,’’ Vile said. ‘‘We thought it was a bit soon and he’s proved his worth - it was a great ride.’’
Jonathan Riddell. who couldn’t ride light enough for his regular mount Miss Wilson in the Cuddle, got one of the day’s features with an impeccable ride on Rock On.
The Road To Rock gelding will follow in Jacksstar’s St Leger winning footsteps of last year and go on to the Hawke’s Bay Cup next month.