Detonator Jack (NZ) Scores Biggest Win in Winter Championship Final

Previously a six-time stakes placegetter all the way up to Group One level, Karaka graduate Detonator Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry) broke through for his first black-type success in the A$200,000 Listed VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Detonator Jack was offered by Prima Park during Book 1 of Karaka 2020, where he failed to meet his $100,000 reserve. He has now earned more than A$1.83m from a 37-start career that has produced seven wins, five seconds and six thirds.

Although he had to wait until the winter of his seven-year-old season for his first stakes win, Detonator Jack was already well proven in feature company. His placings include the Group One South Australian Derby (2500m), Group Two Ajax Stakes (1500m), Group Three Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m), Listed Chester Manifold Stakes (1600m), Listed The Sofitel (1400m), Listed Lord Stakes (1600m) and A$2m Five Diamonds (1800m). He has also run fifth in the Group One Winx Stakes (1400m) and sixth – only 2.1 lengths from the winner – in the Group One Doncaster Mile (1600m).

Allowed to start as a $20 outsider on Saturday despite that body of work, Detonator Jack produced a dynamic performance for trainer Ciaron Maher and jockey John Allen.

Detonator Jack was handily drawn in gate three and was able to take advantage after jumping well. He settled in fifth and one off the rail and was travelling smoothly.

Allen was briefly blocked early in the home straight and had Detonator Jack under a hard hold as he searched for room, but he was able to move across heels and into clear air wider out on the track with 300 metres to run.

Detonator Jack produced a booming finish down the outside, moving up alongside the leaders in the final 100 metres and hitting the front a few strides before the line for an impressive come-from-behind win.

“He's always had good ability and he's obviously run well in better races than today,” Allen said.

“I was very sceptical looking at his last run, I thought it was very plain, but Ciaron said he'd changed a few things up during the week and done a bit of schooling with him and stuff, just trying to sharpen him up and it's certainly done the trick.”

Maher was represented at Flemington on Saturday by assistant trainer Jack Turnbull.

“There were a lot of elements of the race today that worked for Jack in the sense of fitness, he was third-up, blinkers were on, we got a nice cut in the ground and we drew low,” Turnbull said.

“Credit to the whole team, we've been playing around them at home, tread, jumping, different track gallops, just trying to rejuvenate him and we got it done.

“Tread training was a big factor, Kat (Katrina Anderson) had a bit to do with him there, and we've just schooled him down at Cranbourne.

“Obviously it's been a long time between drinks, but we've kept saying that at home he's wanted to be there, and he wants to do it, we just hadn't seen it raceday.”

Detonator Jack is a half-brother to Madison County (NZ) (Pins), who himself was a $36,000 purchase from Karaka 2017 and went on to earn over $1m from a 14-race career. He won the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), Group One Levin Classic (1600m) and Group Two Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m), and his five black-type placings included the Group One Australian Derby (2400m) and $1m Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m).

Vendor	Prima Park
Breeding	Jakkalberry – Red Delicious
Sale	Lot 220, Karaka 2020 Book 1, Psd (Res $100,000)
Breeder	C P & S A Dunphy
Owner	Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Mr R Menchise, Mr G J Ferguson, Ms G A Peirson-Jones, Mr M J Eastmure, Mr G D Sheehan, Brittain Racing, Jaybeeque Racing, Mr A J Brown, Mr B J Devlin, Mr P M Lynch, Mrs A M Lynch, Mr K Heffernan, Mr D W Spicer, Mr K B Thompson, Mr W F Johnstone, Mrs B R Johnstone, Mr P J Gallivan, Mr M G Hunt, Mr J E J Ciurlionis