Cranbourne sprinter Jigsaw has booked his place in the $1 million The Meteorite after blitzing his rivals in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
Trained by Cindy Alderson and ridden by apprentice Logan Bates, the six-year-old notched consecutive wins after his recent Apache Cat Classic triumph at Cranbourne.
With the late scratching of Tropicus giving him an uncontested lead, Jigsaw ($19) powered home to defeat Klabel ($26) by 1¾ lengths, with Bridal Waltz ($5.50) close behind in third.
“I only came here to get that ticket,” Alderson said. “He’s always been a funny little horse… Normally I wouldn’t back him up, but (luckily) I did today.”
The win also marked a career highlight for Bates, who said, “I’ve only been riding a tick over two years and to knock over a Group 2 so early in my career is incredible.”