Arguably in career best form, the Cindy Alderson trained Jigsaw produced an all-the-way winning performance to capture the $1m Meteorite (1200m) at Cranbourne on Saturday, giving his sire Manhattan Rain both feature race winners at the meeting.
Coming off a surprise last start victory in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) on Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, the 7yo started on the second line of betting behind the Gavin Bedggood trained Hedged (NZ) in Saturday's lucrative sprint contest.
Straight to the lead under appreciate Logan Bates from barrier 11, noted leader Jigsaw was joined by the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained Arkansaw Kid who was a winner of the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Stakes (1200m) two starts back.
With the pair leading throughout, favourite Hedged was racing wide in fourth while Klabel (NZ), who has finished in the placing’s at his last two starts behind Jigsaw, was tracking along the rail in third.
With Jigsaw starting to up the ante before the home turn, getting a length clear of Arkansaw Kid, Hedged came to the outside to make a run but it was quickly evident he wasn’t going to be able to make up the required ground.
With 100m to run, Arkansaw kids started to fight back, but to no avail as the locally trained Jigsaw record his twelfth career win, pulling clear by three parts of a length.
Working home well into third, a length and a quarter from the runner up Arkandaw Kid was the Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin trained Zou Sensation just ahead of the Lucy Yeomans trained 90/1 chance Jenni The Fox.
An emoitonal Cindy Alderson expressed what the win meant, not only to her family, but her hard working staff.
"I can't really believe it to be honest, especially with everyone around me today," Alderson said.
"My dad's here, so is my mum, my sister and her children. It's a real family affair.
"That's how we got started in the game. Logan is like family to me, he's been with me all along and all my staff are like family, so it's a really proud moment."
In some of the best form of his career, Alderson attributed Jigsaw's recent run of success to his spell.
"He did have a lovely spell, and I think that got him back in really great shape," Alderson said.
"He's enjoying himself, he's got his confidence right up and he and Logan are the new combination."
On Jigsaw's back for his last three wins, it has been a special time for apprentice Logan Bates.
"He was made to work a bit early, but I still think we got it soft enough and we were able to ramp it up on the corner," saild Bates.
"He has an unbelievable gallop around the corner and that's where he breaks them open.
"To the horses' credit he kept digging and digging when they challenged and held them at bay.
"He pricked his ears coming back, so he was pretty happy."
With more than $1.8m in earnings from his 12 wins, and five placed efforts from 36 career starts Mrs LB Alderson-bred Jigsaw is the best of three winners out of the three-time-winning Lonhro mare Demandz, herself a daughter of the Listed winner Loaded Command.
From the family of dual Group 1-winning All Too Hard mare winner Steif Magnetica, Demandz foaled a filly just over three weeks ago from the first crop of Darley’s Group 1 Newmarket Handicap winner Cylinder (Exceed And Excel)
With 21 stakes winner to his credit, it was a great hour for the Geisel Park Stud-based Manhattan Rain whose 4yo son Sabaj looked very promising when taking out the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m).
The Group 1-winning and Group 1-producing son of Encosta de Lago is standing this season at a fee of $5,500 (inc. GST) in Western Australia.
