Spirit Of Boom enjoyed his greatest moment since joining the stallion ranks when Jonker—who is from the sire’s first crop—became the stallion’s first group 1 winner courtesy of his victory in the Oct. 22 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (G1) at Moonee Valley Racecourse.
After breaking smartly from the barriers, the Tony Gollan-trained entire was urged straight into the lead by Daniel Moor and set decent fractions at the head of affairs.
As the field straightened, Jonker had already built up a healthy lead, but Bella Nipotina was flying down the track, closing the margin with every stride. However, Jonker kept galloping strongly to repel Bella Nipotina’s advances by a nose with Ingratiating another two and a quarter lengths back in third.
Harry McAlpine—whose family own and run the Eureka Sud where Spirit Of Boom resides—said the horse not only looks like his father, but has also nearly had exactly the same career, including their group 1 victory, with Spirit Of Boom chalking up his maiden elite-level win when he landed the 2014 edition of the William Reid Stakes (G1) over the same course and distance.
“It’s great to see both horse and sire get their group 1 monkeys off their backs,” McAlpine told ANZ Bloodstock News. “He’s so like Spirit Of Boom—it’s uncanny. They both won leading into the Magic Millions 2YO Classic race, they both started second-favorite in the actual race itself, and they both got bashed from pillar to post. It took them both a long time to get the race confidence back and then they both went on to win their first group 1 at Moonee Valley over 1,200 meters.”
In successful the group 1 contest, Jonker was including a fifth win in 28 begins to his report, however he has run persistently effectively at group degree all through his profession, headlined by second-place finishes in final season’s Tab Kingsford-Smith Cup (G1), whereas he was additionally narrowly denied a win within the Tab George Moore Stakes (G3) final December.
Previous to the Manikato, the 6-year-old was final seen working sixth within the Oct. 2 Acy Securities Premiere Stakes (G2).
Jonker will get a effectively deserved hug for victory within the Group 1 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes! @tonygollan pic.twitter.com/vLx4ue80aZ
— Racing Victoria (@RacingVictoria) October 22, 2021
McAlpine stated the whole deserved to win a bunch 1.
“He simply had no luck on his final begin in Sydney and I believe this race was customized made for him,” stated McAlpine. “The Spirit Of Increase’s go rather well within the short-courses with the short turns, so Moonee Valley seemed ultimate for him.
“He had not raced there earlier than, however the tempo was excellent for him as effectively, so every part simply lined up completely and it was nice to see him get the job achieved.”
Gollan, watching from his Queensland base, stated he was proud Jonker was capable of present his distinctive skills on the prime degree.
“It has been a luckless spring for one motive or one other,” the coach stated. “Tonight we have been capable of see the true horse.
“He wasn’t nice away, did a mountain of labor, and was nonetheless there preventing on the end. The others all had their probabilities.”
Gollan was unwilling to make race-day plans as to the place the 6-year-old could head for his subsequent begin: “I’ll discuss to the Snowdens as they’ve been integral in his preparation over the previous seven weeks
“We have been Perth however that may be very difficult now with the COVID scenario—however we’ll see as there’s different choices.”
These choices might embrace a characteristic on The Star Gold Coast Magic Thousands and thousands Raceday in January or he could even be given the prospect to emulate his sire within the William Reid Stakes (G1) at Moonee Valley afterward within the 12 months.
“I stated to Tony Gollan this morning that (Jonker) gave me the same really feel to what Wild Ruler gave me (main right into a latest group 1 win),” stated Moor. “He is a beautiful gentleman of a horse and I am so happy to have gotten the job achieved.
“He is an older horse who likes a problem. He is been a bit doughy out, however we wished him out in entrance in his personal leisure. He loves a problem and (was) rolling on his personal accord.”
Bred by Wicklow Lodge, Jonker was bought by Doug Crich for AU$45,000 (US$33,755) on the 2017 Magic Thousands and thousands Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Fig Tree Thoroughbreds draft.
Jonker is one among three winners out of the dual-winning Kempinsky mare Hearts And Arrows, who’s herself a half sister to three-time group 3 scorer Fiscal Fantasy and fellow group 3 scorer Truthful Commerce.
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