Punters went the wrong way as stablemate Mighty High lowered the boom on Derby-bound Jacobee in the Jebsen Centenary Vase (1,800m) yesterday, but trainer John Moore has ambitious plans for both horses.
Backed from $40 to $26, Jacobee (Greg Cheyne) didn't get the ideal trip in the race before running on for third, but Darren Beadman and Mighty High gave nothing else a chance in winning by almost three lengths.
'I'm not disappointed with Jacobee,' said Moore. 'It was his first run for seven weeks and the race didn't really work out for him. He probably lost second placing on the home turn when Special Days went around him and made his stop on come back before he could finish off and the race was gone by then.' Indeed it was, with Mighty High dashing clear after being ridden behind a muddling tempo again and putting himself into the reckoning for the Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup (2,000m) in two weeks' time.
'Gerald Mosse had ridden this horse in Europe and told me he can be ridden behind and he has a great turn of foot,' Moore said. 'But the races haven't worked out pace-wise to ride Mighty High behind and let him show that acceleration. Going into this race, there was Handsome Zulu likely to go forward with a light weight and blinkers first time and Super Pistachio we know goes forward and Sight Winner likewise.
'So I said to Darren don't be afraid to drop him in behind them. This horse is coming off being beaten five lengths by Mastery in the international Vase, and he's a multiple Group One winner, and then it took the Happy Valley champion Noble Conqueror to beat him last time. We knew if anything went wrong in transit with Jacobee today, that Mighty High would be winning the race and he has made them look ordinary.'
Key for Beadman was Mighty High's demeanour when he got around the start of the race.
'He gets on the toe at the start but today he was as calm as he's probably been, which gave me confidence he would run well,' Beadman said.