Horse Racing

Well-tried six-year-old Youthful Jack made a successful Tasmanian race debut at Launceston on Wednesday night winning their first race for new trainer Adam Trinder in Thetote.com.au Stakes 2012.

Spreyton-based Trinder is the fourth trainer to prepare the Youthful Legs gelding over their 44-start career to date, and he enjoyed success straight away after Youthful Jack saluted as favourite in the $90,000 Listed Thetote.com.au Stakes (1200m).

Prior to Trinder, Youthful Jack was raced in New South Wales by part-owner Ross Stitt.

After they broke a lengthy 31-month winning drought at Wyong in December before an eye-catching last-start third to Chris Waller’s Dystopia at Warwick Farm on January 7, Stitt made the decision to send Youthful Jack to Trinder and target the riches of the Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival.

It proved a successful move as they raced away last night to win number 14, boosting their earnings to over $800,000 and becoming a dual stakes winner, Youthful Jack having also taken out the Brisbane Plate in Queensland back in May of 2009 when prepared by Allan Denham.

On Wednesday night jockey Robert Thompson, who made a special trip to Tasmanian having ridden the horse last-start at Warwick Farm, guided the $3 favourite to a smart one length victory over the Royston Carr-trained Rave Night ($27.80) while early leader, veteran nine-year-old Motspur, did well to hang on and finish a further three-quarters of a length away third.

One of the eye-catching runs of the race, however, came from eventual fourth placegetter Buzzing Along.

The David & Scott Brunton-trained filly came from near last on the turn to finish only two lengths off the winner.

Fellow part-owner Geoff Sheedy was there at Launceston to watch Youthful Jack’s convincing win and was very pleased with the performance.

“We were very happy with how he went,” Sheedy said.

“I thought he travelled really well, Robert had him in a nice position and we knew he was going to let down really well.”

The horse has overcome a number of issues over the years, but Sheedy believes all the drama is firmly behind them and that Stitt and Trinder have got Youthful Jack back to his best.

“First of all when he was a two and three-year-old he had a problem with his hoof,” Sheedy explained.

“Jack’s got a great heart and I remember the last race he won years ago (in Brisbane) before he won at Wyong, his nail came out and was sticking up his foot and he still won it and he’s just got a great heart.

“Then he had a throat operation and it took him awhile to get over that…he went a little bit crazy.

“He clicked this year with Ross, it’s the environment, he’s just clicked.”

Youthful Jack will back up in 10 days’ time to race in the $90,000 Listed Thomas Lyons Stakes (1400m) on Hobart Cup Day, which was actually the race connections have been targeting.

There’s a chance he will return to Launceston in another 10 days after that for the $100,000 Listed George Adams Plate over the mile on February 26.

“He’ll be racing in 10 days’ time in the 1400m race and then we’ll see how he goes after that,” Sheedy said.

“That was actually the race we’ve been preparing him for and today was just sort of a trial for that.”

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2012 Thetote.com.au Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Launceston Race 6 – 01/02/2012