Triple Jay is on the threshold of fulfilling the potential that saw him rated a seven-figure prospect by Hong Kong agents in July.
The Oakland Park-bred gelding led into the straight and then kicked away to win the Amelia Park Handicap (1100m) by two lengths at Ascot on Saturday. He started a $2.40 favourite after being narrowly beaten in his first two outings since a spell for regular rider Willie Pike.
“It was great to see Triple Jay (Photo / Western Racepix) go one better today and he’s certainly a horse on the way up,” co-trainer Dan Pearce said. “He’s big and raw but is learning how to settle. He had to work to cross and lead but then came back under Willie to get a cheap sectional.
“It’s a privilege to train such a well-bred horse and hopefully it’s the first of many Saturday wins in town.”
Triple Jay (4g Street Boss – Jestajingle by Lonhro) is a half-brother to Bruckner (Snitzel) who won the G3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield before retiring to the Victorian branch of Widden Stud this year.
He’s also a three-quarter brother to G3 Vain Stakes winner Jukebox (Snitzel) who is based at Aquis Farm in Queensland.
His dam Jestajingle won at Ascot and Belmont for Oakland Park’s Neville and Susan Duncan. His second-dam Jestatune (Rory’s Jester) won a LR Gimcrack Stakes at Ascot and is a half-sister to G1 Kingston Town Classic winner Ihtsahymn.
Jestajingle had a Zoustar colt sell for $500,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale in March. He was purchased by Annabel Neasham and has been named Tuned by a Trilogy Racing Syndicate.
Triple Jay’s owners knocked back a $1million bid from Hong Kong not long after he won a Pinjarra maiden by four lengths in June. “It was a pretty strong offer but a lot of them are in racing as a hobby,” Pearce said. “They’re more interested in enjoying racing a good horse.
“We were lucky enough to buy him out of a paddock at Oakland Park when he was a weanling. He was supposed to be in the Melbourne Premier Sale but there was uncertainty with trucks going over during the pandemic.”
Oakland Park resident Shooting To Win sired a very promising debut winner last week when Shooting Spirit accelerated to an explosive victory in the Everest Accounting Maiden (1200m) at Ascot.
Shooting Spirit (3g Shooting To Win – Spirit Bird by Savabeel) was bred by Neven Botica and sold to trainer Simon Miller for $80,000 out of the Willow Dale Farm draft to the 2022 Perth Magic Millions. He’s a half-brother to the Peter Moody-trained stayer Fame (Manhattan Rain) who was runner-up in this year’s G1 Queensland Derby (2400m).
