Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Jabbawockeez scored his first victory over 2000m with a potent finishing burst in Saturday’s A$130,000 Sportsbet Nobody Does It Easier Handicap at Caulfield.
Previously a four-time winner between 1400m and 1600m, the five-year-old son of Redwood had his first attempt over a middle-distance with a close last-start third at Caulfield on June 29.
Trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes added blinkers for Saturday’s second start over the distance, and Jabbawockeez took a big step forward in the hands of jockey Blake Shinn.
After settling in midfield along the rail, Jabbawockeez began to work through his gears and improve his position early in the home straight.
Shinn spotted a narrow opening between Desperado and Golden Crusader with just under 200m remaining and Jabbawockeez burst through, hitting the front passing the 100m mark and forging ahead to score by a length and a quarter.
“The key was to switch him off,” Shinn said. “I went back through his replays and I saw how Ollie (Damien Oliver) had ridden him to win at Sandown one day. I came out and tried to produce a similar ride today, so this one is for Ollie.
“He’d been a little bit plain when ridden closer to the speed, so with the blinkers on today and up over 2000m, the Hayes boys were on the same page as me. We just put him to sleep and then he was really strong late.”
Jabbawockeez has now had 16 starts for five wins, three placings and A$213,750.
“That was just a great ride,” Will Hayes said. “He had him in a good rhythm a long way out and then made some good decisions to pierce his way through. It was good to see the horse hit the line so strongly.
“He’s a quirky horse. He’s hit a flat spot from around the 800m to the 600m in just about all his starts, but we thought putting blinkers on today might help him. It was a good performance.
“He likes this time of the year, so we’ll keep on coming back to the well over the next few meetings here.”
Jabbawockeez was bred by Westbury Stud owner Gerry Harvey and is by Westbury stallion Redwood out of the Danehill Dancer mare Dance Partner.
Previously trained by Shaun and Emma Clotworthy, Jabbawockeez was a good trial winner at Ellerslie in late 2021 before his private sale and is raced by many of the same owners as fellow Kiwi import Mr Brightside.