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Jake The Muss will be out to keep his Queensland Derby prospects alive when he competes on his home track on Wednesday.
Ruakaka trainers Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs already have Here He Comes (formerly Comin’through in New Zealand) in Queensland preparing for the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) and they believe Jake The Muss has the talent to join him at Eagle Farm on June 10.
“If he wins at Ruakaka on Wednesday he’ll go to Sydney to try and get enough money up to ensure he gets in the Queensland Derby,” Logan said.“We didn’t take him over with Here He Comes for the Rough Habit Plate because we didn’t think he’d have enough stakemoney to get in, but as it turned out he would have got a start.
“It’ll be much harder to get in the Queensland Derby so he needs to win more.”A son of Postponed, Jake The Muss finished fourth behind stablemate Tavidream in the Gr.2 Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie last month.
The Championship Stakes was Jake The Muss’ first start beyond 1600m and he will race over the same 2100m trip on Wednesday in the Lion Red, a Rating 65 event in which he will be ridden by Danielle Johnson.Jake The Muss’ in-form rivals in the Ruakaka race include Street Smart, Longford, Narvick and Volts.
Street Smart, a last-start third placegetter over 1600m at Te Rapa, has won three of his 17 starts for Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie, with the first of those wins being over 1400m at Ruakaka and the other two over Wednesday’s distance.Longford finished fourth in a 2100m highweight at Pukekohe after clearing maiden ranks over 1600m with a huge finish three starts earlier at Avondale.
Narvick had to settle for five placings before he won a maiden last start over 2100m in his 10th attempt, while Volts has won twice from 14 starts and finished fourth over 2100m last start at Hastings after tearing off to a huge lead.