Luckless Jonker in Manikato

PREMIER trainer Tony Gollan has consigned Jonker’s luckless last-start run to the history books as he confirmed he would head to the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

The Queenslander has had a tough time this preparation, after running second to Vega One in the Kingsford-Smith Cup during the winter carnival, and Gollan is looking for a change of luck.

Describing his run in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes behind Masked Crusader as a “barrier trial”, Gollan said the Manikato was the ideal race for Jonker to break his Group 1 duck. A number of the country’s top sprinters will be out of action due to running in The Everest on Saturday.

“(Jockey) Nash (Rawiller), when he rang me on the Saturday night after the race, he said it was basically a barrier trial, which is hard to cop,” Gollan said. “I am looking forward to the Manikato. It is the right sort of Group 1 race for him if he can get back to his best.

“I think he’s in a good place and he is racing well.”

Looking to acquaint him with the tricky Moonee Valley track, Jonker was put through his paces on Saturday morning under the care of Peter and Paul Snowden.