The Mark Newnham-trained Quackerjack has firmed from $34.00 into $17.00 ahead of the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) thanks to a gutsy win in Saturday’s Group 3 Liverpool Cup (1300m).

With some argy-bargy going on down the straight between Cascadian and Imaging, the race came down to a sprint between Vegadaze and Quackerjack with over 100m to go. Apprentice Jean van Overmeire looked to have Quackerjack beat at the 50m mark, right before Joshua Parr found something extra in the saddle as the pair lunged at the line.

Quackerjack trialled well in the lead-up to the race but was always a query first up returning two months from a win in the Group 2 Villiers Stakes.

Quackerjack is now looking to add a Group 1 to his resume in the Doncaster Mile on April 4. Photo: Steve Hart.

Newnham said after the race that he knew his horse was up for the fight and if Parr could find himself in a good position down the straight, the pair would be tough to beat.

“He’s a very good horse and you know when it comes down to the fight more often than not he’ll have his head out on the line,” he said.

“He’s only come off a three-week break, his first-up form is a bit mixed but in a race where he looked to sit one-two around the corner he was always going to be hard to beat. When it came down to the last 200m and there was only two horses in it I was confident he’d win.”

Newnham went on to say that a trip to the Group 2 Ajax Stakes on March 14 will be Quackerjack’s next assignment, before stepping up to Group 1 level for the first time in the Doncaster back at Randwick on April 4.

“He’ll have another run in the Ajax then three weeks into the Doncaster. I had it planned straight after the Villiers. His best runs have been three weeks between runs, so he only gets a fortnight (into the Ajax) then he gets three weeks into the Doncaster,” Newnham said.

Complete 2020 Doncaster Mile betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au can be viewed by clicking here.

2020 Liverpool City Cup Results