Cracker Of A Purchase For Cox Plate

Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock purchased entire Crackerjack King last week. ATB now have three horses in their ownership that will be targeted at the key races during the Spring Carnival.
 
The Italian four year old has an accumulated an exciting race record, winning 7 of his eight starts including last Sunday’s Group 1 Premio Presidente Della Repubblica (2000m) in Rome.
 
The Darren Dance run operation bought into 50 percent of the horse and will target him at the $3 million Sportingbet Cox Plate.
 
“Because he's by Shamardal he's probably not a two-mile horse, so we're looking at the Cox Plate with the back-up probably the Mackinnon Stakes,” Dance said on racingvictoria.net.au.
“I'm not sure if he'll run at Ascot, he might even run at the Sandown meeting in July, but the view is to bring him out with Jakkalberry.
 
To win a Cox Plate a horse needs to have an explosive turn of foot and that is Crackerjack King’s main asset according to Darren Dance. He demonstrated his explosiveness last weekend when settling towards the tail of the field and cruised into the race at the 800m before taking charge of the race in the final 400m.
 
“He settles back in the field and he’s got an unbelievable turn of foot and he’s not frightened to charge through the pack, which he’s done his last two starts,” Dance said.
 
“(On Sunday) he went from running second last of a slow speed to pushing through the middle of the pack and then just running away.”