Detonator Jack set for $2 million The Ingham
The lucrative prizemoney purse for The Ingham has swayed connections of Detonator Jack to keep him in Sydney for the $2 million summer centrepiece.
A brilliant winner of The Gong at Kembla Grange last Saturday, Detonator Jack was being considered for a start for the $500,000 Ballarat Cup (2000m) as several of his owners live in the region.
However, managing owner Darren Dance of Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock confirmed on Wednesday that the decision had been made to run Detonator Jack in The Ingham (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday week.
“The decision for his next run, whether to go to Ballarat for the Cup for half a million (dollars), or go to The Ingham for $2 million, it’s just a no contest,” Dance told RadioTAB Australia.
“New South Wales prizemoney is unbelievable, that’s why he’s up there.”
Detonator Jack has banked $580,000 for his victory in The Gong while the Ingham boasts a $1.155 million cheque to the winner.
It also carries a ballot exemption for the Doncaster Mile in the autumn, and Dance admits that is an added attraction and a possible option for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Detonator Jack should he win.
“Whoever wins that race I think it’s ballot free for the Doncaster,” Dance said.
“If that’s true, you’d be thinking about, do we roll the dice that way? We will sit down with Ciaron (Maher) after the Ingham and work out what’s best for the horse.”
Detonator Jack had filled the placings in three of his four starts prior to The Gong before responding to the addition of blinkers and a rain-affected track with a brilliant display.
His benchmark rating has risen six points as a result, and while that will equate to him landing higher in the handicaps for his next start, Dance believes the horse is genuine and will be hard to beat again.
He is a $4.50 favourite with online bookmakers for The Ingham in pre-nomination markets, ahead of Gong third placegetter Osipenko at $6.
Saturday’s Festival Stakes hopeful Rustic Steel and last start Group 1 placegetter Strait Acer also share the second line of betting at $6.
More Racing News
Scarlet Oak wins Roses to earn G1 Queensland Oaks favouritism
Chris Waller has labelled Scarlet Oak a “rising star” after the lightly raced filly staked her Group One Queensland Oaks claims with a classy win over stablemate Mare Of Mt Buller in the Doomben Roses. The filly has come a long way in a short time, making a winning debut in New Zealand in...
Sargent hoping Casual Connection can earn a Brisbane Cup berth
John Sargent is crossing his fingers that Casual Connection’s narrow victory at Randwick will give him a sufficient ratings boost to squeeze into the field for the Brisbane Cup. A renowned trainer of stayers, Sargent saddled up two runners in the two-mile race last year, Essential Sky who finished fifth and Outlandos ninth, and...
The Black Cloud descends on Randwick rivals
Having begun the day questioning how well The Black Cloud had come back this campaign, Joe Pride ended it by labelling her a stakes-class horse in the making. The Proven Thoroughbreds filly took her record to three wins from four starts with a rousing first-up victory in Saturday’s Taylor Construction Handicap (1000m)...
Queensland tilt among the options for Neasham 2YO
A belated shot at the Brisbane winter carnival is among the options for lightly raced filly Aemelius after she upstaged a handy field of two-year-olds to win the opening race at Randwick. Having just her second start, the Annabel Neasham-trained youngster, who started at $12 with betting sites, went back to last...
Le Ferrari leads home Lindsay Park quinella at Sandown
A return to Sandown has paid a dividend for Lindsay Park galloper Le Ferrari who led home a one-two finish for Ben, Will and J D Hayes. Le Ferrari over-ran stablemate Rheinberg to claim the Thoroughbred Club Of Australia Handicap (1400m) on Saturday. Ridden by Ben Allen, Le Ferrari ($10) overhauled Rheinberg ($7.50) in the final...
Bois D’Argent upsets rivals in G1 Doomben Cup
Trainer Annabel Neasham has landed a second victory in the Doomben Cup with a horse she said was well over the odds. Imported galloper Bois D’Argent held off a late bid from New Endeavour to follow the win of Zaaki for Neasham in 2021 in the Group 1 2000m weight-for-age contest. Ridden by Blake...
Timely Sandown double for Dan O’Sullivan
The Ballarat stable of Dan O’Sullivan is enjoying a purple patch of form in the metropolitan area which has included a race-to-race double at Sandown. O’Sullivan welcomed back to the winner’s enclosure Way Up High in the Sportsbet Photo Finish Handicap (2400m) before Matriarch Rose took out the Stow Solutions Handicap (1600m) on Saturday. The...
Trip test next for Lady In Pink
A return to Sandown has brought out the best in the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Lady In Pink who will now be stepped up in trip for a race at Flemington. Lady In Pink took out the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1600m) on Saturday and will head to Flemington for a 2000m...
Class drop to suit Mi Rock Aly
Warrnambool-based trainer Matthew Williams is banking on a drop in grade and a return to Sandown being a winning formula for Mi Rock Aly. A Sandown winner three starts back, Mi Rock Ali runs in the Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Handicap (2400m) on Saturday coming off the back of a last start...
Final roll of the dice for Classic prospects at Randwick
An 1800-metre three-year-old race at Randwick is set to have a bearing on the upcoming Classic races in Queensland with the majority of runners holding a nomination for either the Oaks or Derby. Seventeen horses, four of them emergencies, have been accepted for Saturday’s Wilson Asset Management Handicap and only Invincible...