ATB owned Jakkalberry set for Newmarket

Marco Botti is praying for a dry spell following Australian-owned Jakkalberry’s satisfactory performance in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The six-year-old joined the Italian trainer late last year and has already made good progress, with an excellent third in the Dubai Sheema Classic his best effort to date.

He made his first start since at Ascot and was far from disgraced in finishing fifth in conditions softer than ideal.

The Princess of Wales’s Goldsmiths Stakes at Newmarket on July 12 is next on his agenda.

“He has come out of Ascot well and I was happy. I thought he ran a good race,” said Botti.

“The ground was unfortunately on the soft side and we know he wants better ground.

“Perhaps also Ascot is not his track – he might be better suited by somewhere like Newmarket.

“We’re aiming him towards the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes at the July meeting.

“Hopefully the rain will have stopped by then, but you never know. We’ve been saying that for a while.”

Jakkalberry is owned by a syndicate headed by Darren Dance of Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock.

The syndicate also has 50 per cent ownership of the galloper’s half-brother Crackerjack King.

Botti hopes to follow the footsteps of one-time boss and countryman Luca Cumani with his plans to campaign Jakkalberry and Crackerjack King, the winner of seven races from eight Italian starts, during the Melbourne spring carnival.

He said the Irish St Leger shaped as a possible lead-up run for Jakkalberry as he heads towards the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

“Many trainers have used the St Leger as a path towards the Melbourne Cup so that race is a possibility,” Botti told Racing Victoria last month.

Crackerjack King is considered more of a Cox Plate horse.

“His best trip is a mile-and-a-quarter so the Cox Plate is his race,” Botti said.

Tuesday 3rd July 2012