The options for star colt Jacquinot exploded as he swooped down the outside to win the group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday with a turn of acceleration not seen on a Sydney track this year.
The future is secured for the son of Rubick at a stud in the Hunter Valley – possibly Coolmore, which also has a slot in The Everest.
James McDonald (red cap) on In Secret looks across as Jacquinot flies home down the outside to win the Golden Rose.Credit:Getty
They have already won the world’s richest sprint with a Rubick three-year-old colt in Yes Yes Yes, and Coolmore boss Tom Magnier had an informal chat with co-trainer Michael Kent junior straight after the race.
“We will go home and have a chat about it and see how Best Of Bordeaux is,” Magnier said about The Everest.
This was the sort of performance that would have Coolmore thinking on a couple of fronts. It was reminiscent of Yes Yes Yes’s late charge to Everest victory a couple of years . It was a spellbinding performance from the Mick Price and Kent-trained colt that gets better with every viewing.
It showed every quality desired from an Australian thoroughbred – sustained speed, lightning acceleration, and most importantly, victory.
“The Caulfield Guineas was the plan before today, so we get him home and have a look, but he is a group 1 winner now,” Kent junior said.
Asked about The Everest, he offered: “Yeah, why not.”
Jacquinot had been a work in progress. He was third in Blue Diamond, sixth in a Golden Slipper and won the McNeil Stakes on his return this spring.
“That has been coming for a while, and to do it in group 1 is outstanding,” Kent said. “He has always had that talent and just has put it together here today.”
Jacquinot spotted the leaders eight lengths at the top of straight but got into clear air and dropped into a gear the others didn’t have. He stormed down the centre of the track, running a sizzling 21.16 seconds for the final 400m.
“He has always taken a few strides to let down, but today it was instant. He just took off, ” jockey Damian Lane said. “He was really a big baby in the autumn, just so raw.
“You thought if he takes that next step he could go on with it, but not many do. He really has.
“Everything he does, he gets more professional. Hopefully, he can still find a bit more improvement from here.”
Jacquinot ($6.50) was still a couple of lengths from In Secret ($2.30 fav) at 200m. In Secret sprinted as well as she did in the Run To The Rose, but Jacquinot had a long neck to spare on at the line, with the leader Zou Tiger ($51) game 1¾ lengths away in third.
“She has run enormous,” James McDonald said of In Secret.
She just met a colt in Jacquinot, who relished the best racing surface seen in Sydney this year and delivered a performance to match.
“The plan before today was to go two weeks into the Caulfield Guineas. We’ve ticked the group 1 box, so now we’ll just work out if that’s the right thing for the horse,” Kent said. “He’ll be back on the truck tomorrow and we’ll take a look at him at Cranbourne and make a call.”
Earlier Nimalee ($8.50) was out on her feet in the last 50 metres but held on to win the Golden Pendant (1400m) from Palaisipan ($10) in a photo finish.
Trainer Matthew Smith will consider backing up in the Epsom Handicap (1600m) with the group 1 winner after another group 2 victory.
“She will improve from that, and it has always been part of our plans,” Smith said. “She was so tough and late and wanted to win.
“I think she will benefit from that and be better next time.
“She’s a big, strong mare, she is a good eater and she helps herself anyway, so if she comes through the race OK, we’d definitely have a serious think about [the Epsom].”
