Impressive! Jet Explorer streaks home under Sean Cormack
From zero to hero. Justin Snaith’s promising 4yo Jet Explorer finds himself amongst the Vodacom Durban July supplementary entries after his excellent win in Wednesday night’s R350 000 Gr2 Betting World 1900 at Greyville.
One of the most improved horses around, Jet Explorer was a most unlucky loser of his last start when charging though late to be narrowly denied by Tribal Dance in the Listed The Sledgehammer at the end of April.
At his third KZN Champions Season start, he appears to have improved readily again and brightened the Snaith July hopes considerably in the under two minutes that it took him to win this race.
In an open betting race that had the classic competitive stamp no matter what angle we looked at it from, Jet Explorer eventually jumped a weak tote favourite thanks to a shrewd betting public.
This was despite the presence of some relative heavyweights, that included the likes of Tribal Dance, E Jet, Gold Onyx and Ormond Ferraris’ Straw Market.
The filly Viva Maria made the early running and she led Penhaligon and Wagner, with Hammie’s Dynasty settled further back and Jet Explorer loping along about ten lengths off.
Into the home run the stampede for position left an open looking contest with many finishing.
But Cormack had the right plan as he steered Jet Explorer to the lead with 200m to run as Rock Cocktail and E Jet looked dangerous.
Jet Explorer went on to win impressively in the famous Devine silks by 2,25 lengths in a time of 115,02 secs, with a tight scrap for the place cheques.
Mike De Kock’s Australian bred Rock Cocktail showed further improvement again to run into second, while the Greyville specialist Gold Onyx showed up smartly for a good third.
An elated trainer Justin Snaith, who is enjoying a purple patch all over the country, said that Jet Explorer had shown tremendous maturity as he had never seen Greyville before. He thanked the Devines for their staunch support.
Jet Explorer has now won 4 races with 10 places from his 16 starts.
He took his earnings to R483 060
He was bred by Patricia Devine and is by Jet Master out of the one time winning Icelander mare, Polar Star.
Result:
Greyville 1900 (SAf-G2) (5/22)
Greyville, South Africa, May 22, R350.000, 1900m, turf, good, 1.55.02
JET EXPLORER (SAF), 56.0, b g 4, Jet Master (SAF) – Polar Star (SAF) by Icelander (GB). Owner PJ & HC Devine; breeder PJ Devine; trainer J Snaith; jockey S Cormack (R218.750)
Rock Cocktail (AUS), 54.0, b c 3, Rock of Gibraltar (IRE) – Brandy Cocktail (AUS) by Hennessy (USA)
Gold Onyx (NZ), 58.0, br g 5, Black Minnaloushe (USA) – Egoli Lass (NZ) by Kaapstad (NZ)
Margins: 2¼ , nk, sh hd
