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Up-and-coming Japanese-bred stayer Star Jack put up a stirring showdown with Target to land the $100,000 Kranji Stakes B race over 2000m on Friday night.
The Jungle Pocket four-year-old was rising in class after winning his last start at Kranji Stakes C level, but winning partner Olivier Placais had so much faith in his ability that he decided to stick with him even if stablemate Golazo had a higher rating (82 against 66) in the race.
Target (Glen Boss), who had put in two disappointing efforts at his last two starts, was clearly back in the swing of things when he emerged through the pack to grab the lead at the top of the straight.
But despite a torrid trip three wide midrace, Star Jack ($16 favourite) still looked full of running as he veered off the corner with Target ($83) kept tight in a pocket.
Boss was somehow able to nudge Target out into the open around the home turn, but Star Jack was still scotched to their girth. Collared, but not conquered yet, Target mustered another kick and for a while, looked like he could still prevail, but under Placais’s relentless urgings, Star Jack strode out a touch better than his tenacious adversary to eventually gain the verdict by half-a-length.
Gold City (Barend Vorster) ran third another two lengths away. The winning time was 2min 2.15secs for the 2000m on the Short Course.
Placais was delighted he pulled the right rein, but was at the same time critical of his “ugly ride” on Star Jack, the third pin of a hat-trick of wins (he scored earlier aboard Foresto and Big Banker).
Initially in an one-out one-back spot, Star Jack saw himself carted off the track when Keep Spinning (Azhar Ismail) railed through at the 1000m. With the leader Lim’s Archer (Matthew Kellady) weakening out in front, the leading group bunched up, forcing Star Jack further out into no man’s land.
“It was not a pretty ride that you would show in an apprentice jockeys’ school,” said Placais.
“I drew quite well, but we got caught wide in the backstraight. I was picking daisies out there!
“But my horse showed a lot of courage in the straight. I knew he would win as he again showed me that big will to win.
“Target is a good horse, but I knew I had him covered. He’s a horse who will keep improving as the trip goes further.
“Here I have to thank Mr Masa Otani (Golazo’s owner) who has always supported me with good rides, and like I said earlier, it was a difficult decision to choose between Star Jack and Golazo. But I wanted to stay on Star Jack as he’s a horse going places.”
Takaoka was a little more measured in his post-race assessment of Star Jack, but still gave the former two-time Japanese winner (1000m and 1600m) a big thumbs-up.
“He’s still a young horse and is improving all the time,” said the Japanese handler.
“He runs well on grass and tonight he had a light weight. Olivier also rode him well even if they couldn’t get a good position early in the race.”
With that second win in five starts, Star Jack has now taken his prizemoney past the $100,000 mark for the Star Jack Stable. He already had US$42,269 in the bank courtesy of his two wins and four placings in Japan.
