With his oldest progeny just turned three, the Jakkalberry stock are showing real promise.
Jakkalberry is the sire of Group III placed Thomas Aquinas, who is headed towards
the Group I New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas and smart Australian winners Gelignite
Jack and Pressure, who ran a bold race for third in the $60,000 VRC Oaks Trial
at Flemington last Wednesday following a four length maiden win at Cranbourne
in August.Gelignite Jack and Pressure are both trained by Matt Cumani.
"I've got two very good Jakkalberrys - I just fell in love with his progeny at the sales (in NZ)," Cumani said.
"Pressure might become an Oaks candidate, she goes very well and has a load of improvement to come and I think Gelignite Jack can figure as a late season Derby hopeful as he also has a load of improvement in him."
Jakkalberry yearlings sold for up to $440,000 at the 2017 NZB Premier and Select Sales with his top seller a half-brother to Melbourne Cup winner Efficient from star producer Refused the Dance.
Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman have high hopes for their Jakkalberry three year-old Botti, who was a tenacious winner at Geelong on Monday at his first Australian start.
Botti is a close relation to the Baker-trained 2010 Group I Victoria Derby winner Lion Tamer and his trainers are attempting to replicate that result this year with the talented young stayer.
"He hit the line well," Baker told racing.com. "He's a staying horse so we'll keep our fingers crossed."
Jockey Damian Lane said Botti had the right attributes heading towards a Derby.
"He's got a good attitude. He relaxes and he's going to get over further," Lane said.
Imported to Australia as a potential Cups horse by Australian Thoroughbred
Bloodstock, Crackerjack King had only four starts here before his career was
curtailed through injury, but a third in the Group I MRC Underwood stakes
behind Foreteller (GB) and Happy Trails was some indication of his class."He had terrific natural speed and was a genuine Group I horse," said his trainer David Hayes.
Crackerjack King won seven of 14 starts up to 2200 metres with highlight victories in the Group I Rome Premio Presidente della Repubblica and Group II Italian Derby.
"He could carve our four successive sub-11 second furlongs in a race and sustain his speed to be a Group I winner at 2000m. He was a sensationally fast stayer," said Darren Dance of Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock.
His female pedigree is one of the best in the world as Crackerjack King is a half-brother to Group I winners Jakkalberry and Awelmarduk as well as stakes-winners Kidnapping and Joyful Hope.
His dam Claba Di San Jore is a blue hen of the highest order with eight winners from 10 foals to race, three of them Group I winners making her one of the top 50 broodmares in the world .
Crackerjack King is one of over 120 stakes-winners sired by Darley's top class sire Shamardal, who enjoyed success in Australia as the sire of local Group I winners Faint Perfume, Delectation, Captain Sonador and Maybe Discreet, not to mention the Aussie bred HK based World Champion Miler Able Friend.
Shamardal has also proven his stripes as a sire of sires, most notably through his French Derby winning son Lope de Vega (IRE), who shuttled to Australia for four seasons.
Lope de Vega has certainly made his mark in spectacular fashion as the sire of high class sprinters Vega Magic and Santa Ana Lane, currently favourite for the $13million the Everest on October 13.
A fast stayer from a strong female family, Lope de Vega has more than a little in common with Crackerjack King and given the burgeoning stud success of Jakkalberry, the dashing grey stallion looks great value at a fee of $6,600.
