The all-in odds on Jacquinot to win the Group 1 $3 million Caulfield Guineas (1600m) in a fortnight have firmed following the colt’s outstanding win in the 2022 Golden Rose Stakes in Sydney.
Golden Rose 2022 winner Jacquinot (outside) denied In Secret (inside) a win for the punters. Photo: Steve Hart.
Third in the Blue Diamond as a two-year-old before his failed Slipper effort on a wet track with blinkers on, the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained son of Rubick is now two-from-two this prep.
He won the Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes first-up defeating subsequent Caulfield Guineas Prelude winner Aft Cabin (2nd) and Friday night’s Stutt Stakes champ Tijuana (3rd) with ease fresh.
Second-up into the Group 1 $1 million Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens proved a master stroke from the stable, and Jacquinot was able to come right down the centre late and get up over the beaten favourite In Secret.
Nothing had made up ground from the back all day, but jockey Damian Lane rode the eventual Golden Rose winner with confidence.
“He was really a big baby in the Autumn. Just so raw. You thought if he takes that next step he could go on with it but not many do. He really has. Everything he does he gets more professional. Hopefully he can still find a bit more improvement from here,” Lane said after posting his 25th career Group 1.
Jacquinot reeled off some fantastic sectionals before flying home the final furlong out wide and denying the James Cummings-trained Run To The Rose winning filly, In Secret, victory.
Adding value to the trifecta in a brave third having held on for the fight after leading throughout was the John O’Shea-trained 50/1 roughie Zou Tiger.
It was a huge Group 1 win for a deserving colt who savaged the line to hand the Price/Kent Jnr. partnership their sixth elite level win.
“Fantastic, what a win, they don’t usually do that. The speed was on and they kept flowing and the important thing was the horse broke well and got into a winning position and he really let down well,” Kent Jnr told the media post-win.
“As a two-year-old he was always the horse that was going to be improve the most, he was awesome first up and a real set play by Mick [Price] and the team to come here second up with a trial, keep the speed in his legs, he’s not a robust horse, I’m just delighted, it’s fantastic.
The plan is to head next-up into the Caulfield Guineas back home on October 8 where a rematch with Aft Cabin is set.
“The plan before today was to go two weeks into the Caulfield Guineas, we’ve ticked the Group 1 box so now we’ll just work out if that’s the right thing for the horse. He’ll be back on the truck tomorrow and we’ll take a look at him at Cranbourne and make a call,” Kent Jnr confirmed.
The last three-year-old Golden Rose winner to back-up and take out the Caulfield Guineas was Ole Kirk in 2020 for Team Hawkes in 2020.
Jacquinot is into $4 as the equal favourite with Aft Cabin in all-in Caulfield Guineas betting at Ladbrokes.com.au
