The form analysis did not point towards a strong showing from Detonator Jack in the VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final, yet a combination of factors saw the seven-year-old gelding perform exceptionally well.
Having not tasted victory for 952 days, Detonator Jack finished last in the David Bourke Handicap at his preceding start. However, he displayed a significant resurgence third-up to capture Saturday’s Listed mile feature by a short neck ahead of Freedom Rally ($31), with Just Folk ($15) claiming third position three-quarters of a length adrift.
Sent out as a $20 chance by leading Aussie betting sites under jockey John Allen, Detonator Jack achieved his first win since taking out The Gong at Kembla Grange in November 2023. According to national assistant trainer Jack Turnbull, the stable implemented numerous training methods to help the horse regain his former speed.
“There were a lot of elements of the race today that worked for Jack in the sense of fitness, he was third up, blinkers were on, we got a nice cut in the ground and we drew low,” Turnbull explained. “Still a little bit hesitant whether or not he wanted to be there or not, but credit to the whole team, we’ve been playing around them at home, tread, jumping, different track gallops, just trying to rejuvenate him and we got it done.”
“Tread training was a big factor, Track Kat (Katrina Anderson) had a bit to do with him there, and we’ve just schooled him down at Cranbourne. Obviously it’s been a long time between drinks, but we’ve kept saying that at home he’s wanted to be there, and he wants to do it, we just hadn’t seen it race day.”
Turnbull also noted the deliberate choice to book John Allen, who had ridden the horse to success three times early in his career. Despite this, Allen admitted to feeling doubtful about the horse’s capacity to improve so rapidly.
“He’s always had good ability and he’s obviously won better races than today,” Allen commented. “I was very sceptical looking at his run the last day, I thought it was very plain, but Ciaron said he’d changed a few things up during the week and done a bit of schooling with him and stuff, just trying to sharpen him up and it’s certainly done the trick.”
Consider the racing betting markets for the upcoming events.