The Gary Alexander trained Kangaroo Jack is one of the most upwardly mobile sprinters on the South African racing scene. The son of Querari stamped himself as a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming season when disposing of his ten rivals to win the R250 000 Gr3 Spring Spree Stakes in good style at Turffontein on Saturday.
Andrew Fortune gears Kangaroo Jack down at the wire for a smart win (Pic – JC Photos)
The race, formerly known as the August Stakes and run on the Vaal sand, attracted a competitive field that met on handicap terms on the Turffontein inside track 1200m.
Kangaroo Jack was returning after an eleven week break following his big Gr2 Post Merchants victory at Greyville in the SA Champions Season.
Carrying top weight, he showed that win to be no flash in the pan as he chalked up his fourth success on the trot with a fluid victory.
The win was achieved despite national log leading jockey Andrew Fortune getting himself into a box at the 350m behind pacesetter Mod Barley, and alongside Buckland, thanks to the deft race-riding skills of Piere Strydom.
How we saw it
But Fortune wouldn’t panic if he woke up with a tarantula on his pillow, and he waited for the gap to open before allowing Kangaroo Jack to find his stride and win going away by 1,75 lengths in a time of 70,98 secs. Talk about a jack out the box!
The win was a double for the rampant Alexander-Fortune combo after Unagi had won the second . The Candyman registered his hat-trick when the supremely consistent Daspoort won the eighth for Cliffie Harris.
While having no chance with the winner, our lurker bet Angel’s Power ran on stoutly at 14-1 from off the pace to shade Moofeed for second.
The De Kock-trained Moofeed ran a much better race, looking dangerous in the run-in, and he may be worth following in the right company at his next few starts.
The good-looking Buckland faded out for fourth, while pacesetter Mod Barley gave up and ran stone last.
The winning owner’s Joyce Wallace’ daughter Claire was on course to receive the Spring Spree trophy on behalf of her Mom.
RA CEO Larry Wainstein hands the trophy to trainer Gary Alexander as Andrew Bon looks on (Pic – JC Photos)
Kangaroo Jack has now won 5 races with 3 places from his 9 starts for stakes of R630 775.
He was bred by owner Mrs Joyce Wallace’ late husband and is by Maine Chance stallion Querari, out of the versatile five-time winning Model Man mare Rainbow Flag, who was bred by Swynford Paddocks (Pty) Ltd and also raced in the Joyce Wallace silks.
Trainer Gary Alexander was full of praise for his charge’s temperament, saying that he was a horse who ‘trained himself’.
Fortune felt he could go further. Certainly his relaxed racing style with that turn-of-foot suggests that could be possible. And his dam won up to 1800m.
Make a note of Kangaroo Jack. This is not the last we have heard his name.
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Gr3 Spring Spree Stakes (SAf-Gr3)
Turffontein, South Africa, September 3, R250k, 1200m, turf, good, 1.10.98
1 – KANGAROO JACK (SAF), 61.0, b g 4, Querari (GER) – Rainbow Flag (SAF) by Model Man (SAF). Owner Mrs M J Wallace; Breeder RB Wallace; trainer GM Alexander; jockey A Fortune
2 – Angel’s Power (SAF), 53.5, b g 4, Miesque’s Approval (USA) – Angel Child (SAF) by Mogok (USA)
3 – Moofeed (AUS), 58.0, b h 6, Duke Of Marmalade (IRE) – Dizzy De Lago (AUS) by Encosta De Lago (AUS)
Margins: 1.75, 0.50, 0.75
