The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Explosive Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry) showed his staying prowess when winning Friday’s Listed Tasmanian Derby (2200m) at Hobart and in the process provided his late Novara Park sire with his first stakes winner.
Relishing a strong tempo, Explosive Jack came from well back to dominate his rivals by nearly four lengths with Alloway (Wandjina) second for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr ahead of local charge Swoop Dog (Husson).
Explosive Jack has now won three of his four starts and was given a peach of a ride by jockey John Allen, who can take much of the credit for the young stayer contesting the Tasmanian feature, as a close confidant of part owners Mick and Alise Johnston.
“He went to sleep early. We got a long way back, but luckily enough they rolled along at a solid tempo,” Allen said.
“We trucked into the race nicely around the corner, and once he met the hill he really took off. There was never any issue about him staying.
“I’ve had a bit to do with the owners and this horse as well. I mentioned to Ciaron a couple of weeks back that this would be a nice horse for the Tasmanian Derby. He agreed and luckily it turned out well.
Explosive Jack was purchased by Moody Racing for $100,000 out of the Novara Park draft at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale at Karaka.
A half-brother to Pick Number One (Darci Brahma), the Champion Griffin in Hong Kong in 2017-18, Explosive Jack makes it two stakes-winners from as many to race out of Extra Explosive.
A daughter of Ekraar, Extra Explosive won the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) and is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Explosive Dance, the dam of the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Vin de Dance.
A colt by Time Test out of Extra Explosive was purchased for $65,000 by Benner Racing at the recently completed New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale, presented by Phoenix Park on behalf of Luigi Muollo’s Novara Park.
Extra Explosive was covered in 2019 by Novara Park’s Group One performed son of Deep Impact, Staphanos. – NZ Racing Desk
