3 minute read

Jumby (9/4 F) bounced back to his best with a smooth success in the Group 3 John Of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock.

The Eve Johnson Houghton-trained runner was getting his head back in front for the first time since winning the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury last season.

As expected, the field was taken along under Ryan Moore who looked to dictate matters from the front on Australian raider The Astrologist. However, Moore soon found himself urging the Australian-based horse along entering the final two furlongs and the eye was always drawn to Jumby, who began to make stealthy headway from towards the rear of the field. Charlie Bishop switched his mount to the outside as the field quickened and the pair soon looked to have matters in command as they ranged upside the long-time leader The Astrologist. The son of New Bay stretched clear for a comfortable one-and-three-quarter length success with The Astrologist (3/1) sticking on well to second. Karl Burke's El Caballo (11/4) struggled for a run entering the final two furlongs and had to settle for third having looked unlucky not to finish at least in the runner-up spot.

Trainer Eve Johnson Houghton said: "Obviously seven furlongs is the right trip, but seven furlongs is also the hardest trip to find. He doesn't want soft ground, so we just have to try and pick our way through but he's a brilliant horse.

"He's very good at this level and there's no reason why he couldn't win another (Group race), so we'll see where we go.

"He's going to have to haul a lot of weight at Ascot (in the Wokingham Stakes) but you've seen the size of him and I don't think weight bothers him much. We'll see, we'll get him home and scratch our heads and have a think about it.

"Today is a great day and he did it like we expected him to, it was like a piece of work really. He did it with a smile on his face and it is great credit to my yard for keeping sweet and looking after him. I'm lucky to have a great team and he's a joy to have around the yard.

"It's hard, we tried to get him to go for the Lockinge and he just didn't get the mile. He came there cantering and the times guys told me he did the fastest six furlongs from the one post to the seven post and he just didn't get the mile. 

"Perhaps if we rode him to really smuggle him into things he might get it, but we'll look at the Lennox, the Hungerford and the Prix de la Forêt and we might just have to travel with him.

As to a possible challenge for the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita, USA, in November, she added: "I think he might get a mile around a bend, so why not [consider it]. He's a joy to have and I'm so lucky."

Paddy Power made Jumby 14/1 from 20/1 for the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot and 12/1 from 14/1 for the Bunbury Cup.

Photo credit: Grossick Photography/The Jockey Club