TEAM CAPTAIN SHIPSHAPE IN ADVANCE OF CUP DAY

Oct 17, 2023

All roads still lead to Flemington on Melbourne Cup day for Team Captain. 

There was plenty to like about the return of Team Captain in the Hamilton Cup on Saturday a race he won at his very first start for the Vic Husslers back in 2021. 

It’s worth keeping in mind, that he was first-up over 2200 metres, his first run since finishing 8th in the Adelaide Cup in early March. 

Officially he finished fourth at Hamilton, 2.5 lengths behind Win O’clock, who was four runs deep into its preparation and rock-hard fit. 

CUP RUN NOT TO SUIT

While it was always going to be a big ask for the ‘Captain’ the race didn’t exactly pan out as planned. 

“I thought he was terrific” Cumani Racing Manager Nik Plant said. 

“The race probably didn’t turn out as we planned, the pace slackened off during the middle stages and when they do that it means it becomes a sprint home. 

“He got around the corner looked good, looked balanced, and still got to the line well but he’s having a good blow and will take a lot of benefit from it. 

“I thought he was terrific. He will take a lot of benefit from it” Cumani Racing Manager Nik Plant

Bellinger racehorse Vic Husslers

SPECIAL TREATMENT

Team Captain has now had a total of 33 starts for a record of 6 wins, 5 seconds and 4 thirds amassing $342,730 in prizemoney along the way. 

He’s now an 8 year-old and a stable favourite of the Cumani yard.

“We will get him home, obviously he’s a bit older now, so we will look after him for a few days have some time in the pool and work out exactly how we’ll get to the Macca’s Run at Flemington on Cup day”.

BEST IS YET TO COME

Jockey Will Gordon was of the same opinion as ‘Niko’. 

“I was pretty happy with that run guys, he left the gates okay and just decided to roll forward and across. 

“Asked him for a full effort in the straight and he really let down well, he felt really good at the top of the straight and thought if he could keep this gallop up we would be extremely hard to run down. 

“As you know he’s first-up so race fitness probably told a bit, but the horse felt really well and seems to be in great head space and is in for a good prep.”

At this stage owners in the Vic Husslers are due to have a runner at Fabulous Flemington on Melbourne Cup day for the third successive year – that’s a great achievement. 

Go you good thing!

“The horse felt really well and seems to be in a great head space and is in for a good prep” Jockey Will Gordon

BOUNCE BACK FACTOR 

As Tycoons were made aware of, there’s a theory in racing that when a horse suffers from cardiac arrhythmia, “you must back it next start” and they win. 

And that was certainly the message after Cool Jakey suffered cardiac arrhythmia the previous start at Randwick, with Joe Pride telling Tycoons in the pre-race late mail, “Don’t worry about what happened last start, the horse is fine and he looks great,” how right Joe was with Cool Jakey leading all the way.

COOL JAKEY THE KING OF WARWICK FARM 050325

Cool Jakey battling to the line with Emmadella

Cool Jakey trainer Joe Pride, Brave Pride, Jockey Adam Hyeronimus and TK

Trainer Joe Pride and son Brave Pride, Jockey Adam Hyeronimus and TRL Rep TK

HIPPO FROM BARRIER TO BOX

Adam Hyeronimus was having his first sit on Cool Jakey and he rode him a treat. We joked before the race “just go to the front and improve your position” and that’s exactly what he did. 

“He jumped well and found a nice rhythm straight away, he had a nice time so I let him slide early into it at the 600metres so we did go a bit early. 

“He felt fantastic throughout the run and was doing it easily, so I did get a bit of a surprise how quickly he stopped. 

“So maybe I did go too early, but in saying that, maybe seven furlongs is his upper limit. On that effort he’ll be winning again” Jockey Adam Hyeronimus said.

JOE DELIGHTED

“That was good guys” trainer Joe Pride said, with a big smile to a large contingent of NSW Tycoons on Cool Jakey returning to scale. 

“Look it was nice to see him win on a track that wasn’t bottomless wet, it opens up a lot more opportunities for him. 

“In saying that if there was a 1400m for him in a fortnight on a Good track I would probably be reluctant to start him. We need to nurse him through it and the next month – six weeks isn’t going to be easy because it’s carnival time. 

Cool Jakey the king of Warwick Farm with NSW Tycoons

Cool Jakey in the winners circle with NSW Tycoons’ owners

WHATS NEXT – PACK YOUR BAGS

The Tycoons have been very patient with Cool Jakey and their patience has been rewarded. He is building a very nice career record which stands at only 13 starts for 5 wins and a minor placing and is now pushing the $200,000 in prize money. 

‘Jakey’ has initially pulled up well, but we all know that he is a delicate soul and has to be treated with kindness and Joe is reluctant to push him too hard too quickly. Which is fair enough. 

“We might even consider travelling him maybe to Melbourne or Brisbane for a wet track, we just need to look after him.

“He’s been a good horse for us, we will look after him and his best opportunities will come in the Winter,” Joe concluded. 

Congratulations to all NSW Tycoons and winning connections.

Go you good thing!

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