Wins dried up for Explosive Jack (NZ) after he was crowned the ‘King Of The Derbies’ at three, but the 5yo son of Jakkalberry (IRE) knows how to stay, which served him well for Saturday’s $2,000,000 Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick.
A milestone first Group 1 winner for Dylan Gibbons, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained gelding, rounded up Kathy O’Hara on the $251 chance True Marvel (Masked Marvel) by three-quarters of a lengths with Knights Order (IRE) (So You Think) one and a quarter lengths back in third.
“That was absolutely fantastic. It’s been the plan for a long, long time,” Eustice said.
“He had an injury after the Melbourne Cup, we said months ago this is the race to have him spot on.
“It’s a great thrill to get this horse back and a real credit to the whole team in managing him.
“These guys, you won’t get a luckier ownership group; it’s great to get another big win for them.
“The boss (Ciaron Maher) was pretty keen to take them (blinkers) off. His run in the Canberra Cup (second) was very very good without them. He always wore them as a colt, but he’s a gelding now and he’s not fast, but he stays. But he showed a pretty good turn of foot there to his credit. He looked fantastic beforehand; we thought they’d go a little bit quicker in the run.
“It’s the first time I’ve met him (Dyland Gibbons), so it’s not a bad meet and greet. He rode him great, and timed his run beautifully.
“Midrace I was kicking and screaming because they were going so slow, and it just wasn’t going to help any of our runners. Without having to dissect it, it was a pretty good performance to come from where he was.”
The winner of the Group 1 ATC Australian Derby, Group 1 South Australian Derby, Listed Tasmanian Derby, and third in the Group 1 Queensland Derby, Explosive Jack advances his record to six two two from 18 starts with earnings of $3,186,230.
Purchased by Moody Racing for $100,000 out of the Novara Park draft at the 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale, Explosive Jack is half-brother to Pick Number One (Darci Brahma), the Champion Griffin in Hong Kong in 2017-18, Explosive Jack is out of Extra Explosive.
A daughter of Ekraar (USA), Extra Explosive won the Listed Castletown Stakes. She is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Explosive Dance, the dam of the Group 1 NZ Derby winner Vin de Dance.
Waller Racing/Yes Bloodstock bought a Staphanos filly for $250,000 at the 2022 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale and has been named Eruptive Force.
A Sweynesse colt from Extra Explosive was withdrawn from this year’s Kraka Yearling Sale.
