Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr have a vast number of three-year-olds in their stable and they collected an early ‘black type’ victory for that age group with the success of Jacquinot at Caulfield.
It was an imposing win by the colt who took out the Group 3 H D F McNeil Stakes (1200m) on Saturday at his first outing since finishing sixth in the Group 1 Golden Slipper in the autumn.
Jacquinot started his career with victory at Caulfield on Boxing Day before bungling the start at his next two starts at Caulfield, including the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes when finishing third behind Daumier.
With Damian Lane aboard, Jacquinot ($5) ran past the $2 favourite Aft Cabin to score by 1-½ lengths with Tijuana ($51) running on from the tail, a further 1-¾ lengths away.
Kent Jnr said Jacquinot had made physical improvement from his two-year-old days.
“In the Blue Diamond here last year against all those colts he was the most immature horse, scopey, leggy and yet to furnish,” Kent Jnr said.
“But in the yard today he’s really filled out and you could tell.”
With Saturday’s first-up victory behind him, Kent Jnr said Jacquinot would now head to Sydney for his next two starts before returning to Melbourne for the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) in October.
“Next start we’ll go to the Run To The Roses in Sydney, then hopefully the Golden Rose and then back for the Caulfield Guineas,” Kent Jnr said.
“It’s really exciting.”
James Cummings, trainer of the runner-up, said Aft Cabin had lost no admirers with his defeat.
He said without winning, Aft Cabin had run well and could progress to the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) on September 17.
“We’ll get through the weekend and see where he fits, but that looks the next race,” Cummings said.
“I think we have to be pleased with his first run at Caulfield, in a serious race, and I would say it has been a good experience.”