From a maiden at Swan Hill to a benchmark 64 at Kembla Grange, to a Tasmania Derby and everywhere in between, the well-travelled Explosive Jack gave the toffs a beating in an all-Karaka graduate finish to Saturday’s $2,000,000 Group 1 ATC Bentley Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick.
With regular rider John Allen in the saddle, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained son of Jakkalberry (IRL) finished determinedly to defeat Tavistock gelding Young Werther by a half-head with Contributer (IRL) gelding Lion’s Roar a head back in third.
Purchased by Moody Racing for $100,000 out of the Novara Park draft at the 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale, Explosive Jack advnces his record to four wins, a second and a third from seven starts with earnings of $1,459,910.
“It’s phenomenal really. This horse has been in work a long time,” Maher said.
“He has been to all our stables and the team have done an extraordinary job with him.
“His last piece of work on Saturday was the best piece he’s done since he’s had a saddle on his back. Johnny (Allen) was on board him at Werribee and he just said ‘he’s flying’ and I said ‘well that’s how it looks’. He thought he might lack that little bit of class, but we knew he was a very very strong stayer and he was right to go. So, full credit to him.”
“To the owners, they‘re great mates and just a really good bunch of people and really enjoy the whole rollercoaster of racing. They were fortunate enough to be here with Kenedna (winner of the Queen Of The Turf in 2019) not so long ago, and then to be back here again. I couldn’t be happier, and I can’t thank them enough.”
John Allen praised the colt’s constitution.
“He is a tough horse, the distance was never going to be a worry with him, Allen said.
“We got cover on the back of Young Werther. Montefilia actually popped out down the side and pushed me out a bit wide. I didn’t want to take off on him too early so I let her come around me.”
“Once we got to the outside, he really let down and he tries his guts out this horse.”
Explosive Jack became the first stakes winner for Jakkalberry (IRL) when he won the Tasmanian Derby and now becomes the first Group 1 winner for Novara Park’s ill-fated stallion.
The globe-trotting son of Storming Home (GB) covered four books of mares before dying of a gut infection in 2018.
Initially trained in Italy by Endo Botti, Jakkalberry won the 2010 Group 1 Gran Premio di Milano.
He was transferred to Marco Botti the following year and travelled the world, making a start in six countries. He was third in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic, won the American St Leger and was third again in the 2012 Melbourne Cup. Jakkalberry made one start in 2013, winning the Group II Dubai City of Gold Stakes at Meydan.
Extra Jack was the third most expensive of the 24 Jakkalberry yearlings sold at major sales.
A half-brother to Pick Number One (Darci Brahma), the Champion Griffin in Hong Kong in 2017-18, Explosive Jack makes it two stakes-winners from as many to race out of Extra Explosive.
A daughter of Darci Brahma, Extra Explosive won the Listed Castletown Stakes. She is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Explosive Dance, the dam of the Group 1 NZ Derby winner Vin de Dance.
A colt by Time Test out of Extra Explosive was purchased for $65,000 by Benner Racing at the Karaka Yearling Sale.
Extra Explosive has a filly fol by Staphanos (JPN) and was covered by Sweynesse last spring.
