Derby signs too early for Jacobee, but he is going the right way

Jacobee's second race win may only have been a fairly thin Class Three mile, but the manner of victory in the final event marked him down as another capable of joining his trainer John Moore' bulging classic contingent.

With quite a number of much higher-rated Hong Kong Derby contenders yet to step out for Moore this season, the trainer was in no hurry to talk about Jacobee in those terms, but the gelding is quickly earning his right to be at least considered a participant.

Rounding out a good day at the office for Moore, with First In Command (Darren Beadman) and Irian (Brett Prebble) having scored earlier, Jacobee made it two for Beadman when he overcame a moderate tempo and the top weight to run away with the Lin Fa Shan Handicap (1,600m).

'Truly the difference in him has been gelding him,' Moore said. 'The owners have told me that Jacobee's mother is doing very well as a broodmare, with Group horses in the UK, but one thing the family all have in common is that they are a bit scatterbrained.

'And that was the same with Jacobee last season, but since the gelding operation he is a different horse. He's more relaxed, a delight to work with now.'

While Moore wasn't talking about Derby plans, he admitted the win off a 78 rating would take Jacobee into the 80s in the handicaps and verging on consideration of better races.

'It was a terrific effort to win at the weight,' he said. 'John Size's horse, Hot Shot, was coming off two wins and we were giving him 16 pounds, so it was not going to be easy to beat him, but he's done it well and looks exciting.