The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Jacquinot will have a short break before embarking on a Blue Diamond Stakes campaign following a brilliant debut performance in the Frank O’Brien Handicap (1200m) at Caulfield on Boxing Day.
Given time to find his feet from an outside barrier by Luke Currie, the 2yo son of Rubick powered home from the tail of the field to defeat the Duporth colt Jamarra by two and three-quarter lengths with Pride Of Dubai filly Queen Latifa a further one and three-quarter lengths back in third.
Jacquinot is raced by his breeder Lindsay Maxsted and partners after being passed in short of his $120,000 reserve at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Price said it was a jaw-dropping debut.
“Even if I didn’t train him, I’d be saying ‘wow’ that was the win of a horse with good ability,” Price said.
“You trial them and work them, and then race day tells all. But for a very green horse who looked like he was lost behind them, to get out wide and pick them up like he did and be strong through the line, I thought it was the win of a good horse.
I was quite nervous about the (wide) gate. In my experience, it’s always a difficult gate from the 1200m because jockeys get back too far, or they’re wide, or they’re back inside the leader. But we were happy to be back, and the way he improved the last furlong is the effort of a horse that will go on.
When the fields came out, I said to Lindsay Maxsted, we can’t do this. Anyway, he’s a great owner, and he rolls with it, so it’s all worked out good.
“He’ll have a short break, and the Blue Diamond’s not far away. He’ll probably be out in the paddock during the day and boxed overnight, do a bit on the water walker. I’d say he’ll run in the Prelude over 1100 (metres) and needs the prize money to get him a run, but I was very happy we took the risk here in the end.”
Luke Currie compared the son of Rubick favourably with Artorious.
“He’s a similar type of horse, I suppose, in that he’s got that turn of foot, Currie said.
“Artorius took a bit longer to pick up then was really strong, but he’s shown a real turn of foot today, which he probably hadn’t in his jump-outs where he raced on speed and then quickened away from them.”
Foaled and raised at Coolmore for his breeder, Jacquinot is the first foal of the unraced Pierro mare Ponterro, a sister to Group II ARC Avondale Guineas and Group II Auckland Guineas winner Dragon Leap and a half-sister to Cornwall Park Stud’s Group 1 ATC Rosehill Guineas winner Inference (So You Think).
After missing in 2019, Ponterro foaled a Yes Yes Yes colt on September 1.
After beginning his stud career at Coolmore, Rubick now stands at Swetenham Stud, where his fee is $27,500.
The son of Encosta De Lago has twenty catalogued for the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and eleven at the Inglis Classic.
