And in the meantime the Magic Millions looms as a big day with Jonker equal second favourite for the Magic Millions 2Y0 Classic on the back of an impressive debut victory in Sunday's Max Lees Classic at Newcastle.
Showing the same great natural pace he put on display when winning a trial by just short of ten lengths, the David Atkins trained colt was hard held by Aaron Bullock turning into the straight - quickly putting lengths on his rivals when asked for his effort.
"He's a lovely horse, he showed me promise from the first time I sat on him," Bullock said. "He was strong through the line and he is going to go onto bigger and better things."
Jonker is the first runner for the regally related Hearts And Arrows - product
of a Kristen Manning mating plan out of the grand broodmare Villa Igea who she
purchased for clients at the 2001 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale.Part owned by Manning with a big group of friends, Hearts And Arrows won her first two starts for the Michael Kent stable before being injured as one of the favourites in a Group Three contest at only her third outing.
Purchased as a broodmare by Wicklow Lodge's Jeff Cullen, a childhood mate of Mick Kent's, Hearts And Arrows is a half-sister to fellow Manning mating plan success story, the brilliant Gr.3 C.S Hayes Stakes winner Fair Trade.
It was a great thrill for Manning to plan a mating for a second generation and from the time Hearts And Arrows' son by Spirit Of Boom was born there was something about him.
"Jeff Cullen always said he would be very excited when Hearts And Arrows had a foal that looked like her and Jonker - who he nicknamed Barney in honour of the Zabeel (who died on the day the dashing dark colt was foaled) - was that foal!"
"When I did the mating that produced Hearts And Arrows I thought there were two main strengths to that pedigree - a 4 X 4 cross of Eight Carat and a 6 X 5 cross of Oceana. I thought it would be ideal in the next generation to tap into the influence of those two mares."
Whilst Spirit Of Boom has an extra Oceana strain (Jonker has within six generations strains of her sons Noholme II, Faringdon and Todman), he also carries multiple crosses of the prolific Lady Josephine family that produced Eight Carat.
Jonker's fifth dam, Eight Carat is not surprisingly Manning's favourite mare of influence as Quilate, winner of the Gr.3 Ladies Day Vase during the Caulfield Cup carnival, is also a descendant bred on a 3 X 5 X 6 cross of that famed matriarch.
Hearts And Arrows (who paid a return visit to Spirit Of Boom this spring) is not the only Manning mating plan faring well as a broodmare with Listed winner Flying Ruby doing a great job as the dam of the popular young stallion Flying Artie.
Manning, who has just embarked on her third book (Fields Of Omagh and Prince Of Penzance her first two) - the official biography of Darren Gauci - is always on the lookout for new clients - specializing in mating plans, catalogue research and bloodstock purchases.
Contact her on 0428 563 917 or kriman@optushome.com.auor visit online at https://www.facebook.com/groups/126789700834735/
