A flight to Sydney awaits jockey Jett Stanley to honor his career pinnacle.
Stanley delivered Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young runner American Wolf to a heart-stopping score in the Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) on Morphettville’s Monday program.
Party plans are shelved with his evening departure to Sydney, positioning him at Warwick Farm Tuesday for Jenni The Fox trackwork leading into the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Saturday.
Monday marked an upgrade from Stanley’s prior best, the Group 3 Launceston Cup on Asva February 25.
His packed itinerary: Murray Bridge Saturday, Stony Creek Sunday in Victoria, Morphettville Adelaide Monday.
“It’s been a whirlwind the last 12 days,” Stanley told racing.com.
“I’ve travelled 18,000 kilometres in two weeks. It’s been crazy.
I’m on a flight to Sydney tonight to ride trackwork in the morning for Tony Ottobre and Ciaron Maher and I’m riding Jenni The Fox in the Coolmore Classic on Saturday.
I’ve done a Group 3, a Group 2, so hopefully I can do a Group 1 now.”
At $21, American Wolf repelled $4.80 top pick Highland Bling by a whisker, Hurry Curry ($9) third 5-¾ lengths off.
Unseated from American Wolf after crossing the line, Stanley got the verdict from medics.
He sprinted back to winners’ area, arms aloft to punters.
“The ambos asked if I was OK, and I said, ‘tell me the result of the photo and I’ll tell you how I’m feeling’,” Stanley said.
“One of the ambos said American Wolf and I said yeah and they said, ‘you’ve won’.
I started running after that and the limp went away pretty quick.
To do it for Trent and Nat is very special. They have been friends since the day I was born.”
Victorious in April last year’s Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) Flemington, the gelding was aimed here by Busuttin/Young.
His rating posed start uncertainties.
“This was always the horse’s Grand Final,” Young said.
“We were a little worried we weren’t going to get into the race with his rating.
It was the sixth start (of his preparation) today, but Jett rode him a treat. He relaxed nicely and that is what he needed.
Jett is coming along in leaps and bounds and he’s turning into such a great jockey.
I’ve known him since he was a baby and I’m absolutely over the moon.”
Young weighed options for American Wolf’s ongoing campaign.
“He’s still dappled. He looks great, we’ll get him home and weigh it up,” Young said.
“If he does go anywhere after this, we’ll give him three or four weeks to get over it, especially with the trip over and being his sixth run, we need to look after him a little bit.”
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