Quackerjack scored a tough and determined win talking the $160,000, Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Randwick in Saturday wearing down an equally tough and determined Vegadaze in the final strides after a straight long battle.
Not only did the Mark Newnham’s Quackerjack win, he did so with 56.5kg over Vegadaze’s 53kg. It was the first race since the four-year-old Not A Single Doubt gelding won the Group 2 Villiers Stakes over 1600m on December 14th, qualifying for a spot in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) on April 4th at the same track.
Vegadaze and apprentice Jean van Overmeire led the field across the High Street side with Josh Parr tracking in second. They stayed in the same position as they turned into the main straight and were well clear of strong barging battle back in the field between Glen Boss on Cascadian (GB) and James McDonald on Imaging (GB).
Up front Vegadaze and van Overmeire were trying hard to maintain the ascendancy as the white blaze of Quackerjack gained slowly with every stride on their outside. To Vegadaze’s credit the four-year-old did not flinch and it took until the final stride, but eventually Quackerjack went past for a short head win.
Vegadaze (Lope de Vega) was clear of Rock (Pierro) and Tommy Berry, the margin 2 1/4L with I Am Superman (IRE) fourth and Cascadian fifth after escaping the dodgems.
The time was 1.15.35 on the Good 4 track with the final 600m in 34.02. Quackerjack paid $5.50 on both fixed odds and the tote.
Vedadaze and apprentice Jean van Overmeire inside Quackerjack and Josh Parr, picture Sportpix.com.au
“He is a very good horse and you know when it comes down to the fight more often than not he will have his head out on the line,” said Newmham.
“He has only come off a three week break, his first-up form is a bit mixed but in a race where he looked to sit one-two around the corner he was always going to be hard to beat. When it came down to the last 200m and there was only two horses in it I was confident he’d win.
“He will have another run in the Ajax then three weeks into the Doncaster. I had it planned straight after the Villiers. His best runs have been three weeks between runs, so he only gets a fortnight (into the Ajax) then he gets three weeks into the Doncaster,” he said.
“He showed that will to win. He has that determination to get over the line,” said Parr.
“You know with him that he is not going to stop. His will is just remarkable. He loves the fight.”
Quackerjack, out of the Ustinov mare Quack It, was winning for the eighth time from 19 starts and with four placings he has earnings closing in the millionaire status at $900,430. He is owned by Mr F Mittiga, Mrs M Mittiga, Mrs M L Mittiga, Ms D Andrich, Mr A Coluccio, Mr R De Maria, Mr D W Lilley, Mr G G B Macdonald, Ms A L Chin, Dr I Smith, D & L Alford, G1G Racing and Breeding and Nick Vass Bloodstock.
Parr enjoys the win, picture Sportpix.com.au
What the beaten jockeys said:
Hugh Bowman (Yulong Prince): ‘Really good first up run. I was pleased with him.’
Glen Boss (Cascadian): ‘He went good. For a mile horse they went too slow in the middle stages. I like this horse - he’s going well.’
James McDonald (Imaging): ‘I got knocked sideways and that was the end of him - it just took the wind out of him.’
Tommy Berry (Rock): ‘A great run. I really thought I was going to put them to the sword at the furlong but he just ran out of gas late. He’s only had two trials and his second trial was really soft so he’ll really come on immensely from that. I’m looking forward to the rest of his prep.’
Brenton Avdulla (El Dorado Dreaming): ‘She went okay for her first run back. She’ll improve going up in trip.’
Rachel King (Lanciato): ‘He went super. Really good to see him back and in good form after a long break.’
Kerrin McEvoy (I Am Superman): ‘Good run. I just wanted to get some cover from that gate so I had to come back a couple of pairs more than I would have liked. He got into a nice enough rhythm and he did a really good job to run as well as he did. That was a very good run first up for Peter and Paul.’
Jean Van Overmeire (Vegadaze): ‘I thought he ran really nice. He jumped, led quite easily, kicked away and showed me a nice turn-of-foot. He probably just threw it away by hanging towards the closing stages. He’s in good order.’
Liverpool City Cup, photo finish picture ATC
