Trainer Mick Bell has always described Jungle Edge as a horse of a lifetime and as solid rain fell before Saturday's Listed W J Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield, the noted mudlark added another chapter to his wonderful story.
It was not just Bell who was choked with emotion when the 9yo gelded son of Dubawi (IRE) humped his 60kgs to 17th win at his 75th start, his rider Jade DaRose celebrated her first stakes success in a 20-year career.
In a perfectly timed ride, DaRose guided Jungle Edge to a length win from I Am Immortal (I Am Invincible) with Causeway Girl (Shamus Award) a half-head away third.
“It’s just amazing, what a super horse, he loves it wet and he just killed them," DaRose said.
“He trialled super and just needed a soft track so the more rain the better.”
Jungle Edge's win was emotional for Bell coming on the anniversary of his wife Bev's death from breast cancer three years ago.
"The horse means the world to me and it's very good for Jade, she deserves it," Bell said.
“I’m a bit emotional because it’s three years tomorrow since I lost my wife.
“I couldn’t figure out why no-one gave this horse a chance today because he has raced against a lot better horses than these ones
"He’s a very good horse and I'm just tickled pink because you could go five lifetimes as a trainer and not get a horse like this, especially for a small trainer like me."
With his fifth stakes success, the 9yo son of Dubawi advances his record to 17 wins, 12 seconds and 10 thirds from 75 starts with earnings of $1,528,410.
He is the best of four winners from as many to race out of the winning Carnegie mare Jungle Girl who is a half-sister to the dam of dual Listed stakes winner Brief Kiss (Brief Truce) and a half-sister to Sydney winner Jewel Of Africa the dam of the stakes-placed Picholine (Dehere), herself the dam of Group I Victoria Derby winner and Group I South Australia Derby winner Rebel Raider (Reset) as well as the talented Group III winner Shamoline Warrior (Shamardal).
The deceased Rebel Raider had a profitable day also with two winners at Morphettville, The Iron Lady and Liberty Lover, while the 3yo Nonconformist won at Caulfield and the 4yo mare Rebel Lilly broke her maiden at the Sapphire Coast.
Jungle Girl has not had a live foal since Jungle Edge. After not having a mare return submitted for three years, she was dropped from the official records in 2016.
