Jaccka Justy shows signs of return to form
Jaccka Justy, winner of the Group I Dominion Handicap in November, returned to the Westwood stable of Amber Hoffman after finishing second from a 60m handicap at Forbury Park on Friday night.
He had been back with his Riversdale owner Charlie Smaill since his previous start on April 12 following some indifferent performances. Smaill has trained Jaccka Justy for six of his 13 wins.
“I didn’t know what to expect on Friday night but I felt I had never had him fitter. I did have a concern that he has been too keen,” Smaill said. “The plan was for him to go back to Amber for a race at Addington next week.”
Jaccka Justy did everything right and finished well from back in the field to run Poppymalda to three parts of a length. Poppymalda, who started from 20m, raced handy and did not have to be driven out.
Poppymalda is 10th in order of qualification for the 4-year-old trotter category of the Harness Jewels on May 30. Her trainer Nathan Williamson is not sure if she will have another start beforehand. Jonny Cox, the regular driver of Jaccka Justy, was encouraged by the effort.
“He is still not 100 per cent but he felt a lot better,” Cox said.
Jaccka Justy has been off the winning list since he won the Dominion Handicap at Addington when trained by Cox and Amber Hoffman. Cox is now based in Christchurch.
The Smaill-trained Jaccka Jack, who finished third from a 40m handicap, has a race at Oamaru on May 17.
Time For Success, an all-the-way winner of the maiden trot on Friday night, is a halfsister by Great Success to Majestic Time, winner of the 2014 New Zealand Trotting Oaks and Hambletonian.
They are raced by West Melton breeder Mike Ward with his wife Pauline and son Craig. Time For Success and Majestic Time are the first two foals of Time To Shine, a Sundon mare who won five races. Ward is the trainer of Majestic Time and he has Time For Success in the Oamaru stable of Phil Williamson. Davey’s Gift, who three races for the Wards when trained by Williamson, is now in Australia after being sold in January to a group including Gerald Cayford, of Dunedin.
Davey’s Gift required a spell of several weeks and he is yet to race there out of the stable of Kevin Pizzuto.
Trainer Tony Barron plans to start his Harness Jewels candidates Regal Ideal and Delightful Dash at Invercargill on Saturday.
The 3-year-old Regal Ideal overcame a second line draw to win in style in a swift 2.42.3 for 2200m (mobile) on Friday night. It was his third win in five starts since being bought by stable clients on the recommendation of Barron, who also has the 2-year-old filly Pat Campbell in contention for the Harness Jewels.