Last week’s Previews did nothing to loosen Jacquinot’s grip on Blue Diamond favouritism and star jockey Damian Lane has endorsed his prospects in that race after a Cranbourne jumpout on Tuesday.
Lane allowed the son of Rubick to sit wide in the 800-metre jumpout before striding away late to win comfortably despite being a little green in the straight.
It was all the confirmation Lane needed to commit to the ride in Saturday week’s Blue Diamond Prelude and just what co-trainer Mick Ken Jnr wanted to see from the colt whose only start produced a brilliant win at Caulfield on Boxing Day.
“Damian said he was pretty green and raw but we like that because we’ve trained him to improve from this jumpout into the Prelude and then into the Diamond,” Kent Jnr said.
“We’ve kept him fresh, kept the speed in his legs and this morning was his main hit out prior to the Prelude. He put a space on them and looked good doing it with improvement to come. Damian really likes him and he’s booked for the Prelude.”
Jacquinot was one of four big names from the Price/Kent stable on show at Cranbourne with Golden Eagle winner I’m Thunderstruck finishing second to Sierra Sue over 1000m.
The four-year-old had a good blow afterwards, but Kent said that was not unexpected and the gelding will be conceding fitness to most of his rivals in the C.F. Orr Stakes, for which he is favourite.”He had tough runs at each run last time in, so we didn’t want to short cut a spell. We wanted to give him six weeks because he deserved it and he needed it and he’s thrived off it,” he said.
“He’ll go for a nice day out at Caulfield on Saturday week, then go back there two weeks later for the Futurity, then three weeks to the All-Star Mile, then all going well up to Sydney for the Doncaster.
“It’s going to be a long enough program, so we don’t need him gunned up and really tight for his first-up run.”
Profiteer and Extreme Warrior both won their jumpouts, with Profiteer on track to resume in the Black Caviar Lightning after a third jumpout next Monday, while Extreme Warrior is doubtful starter in the February 26 Oakleigh Plate, for which is third favourite in most markets.
“I can’t see him getting a run with a rating of 84, so on the same day is the Zeditave Stakes, which is where we will have to go and from then on we’ll be into Group 1 company, I think,” Kent Jnr said.