3 minute read
Jockey Reece Jones hasn’t given up on Scone and Muswellbrook Cup winner Commando Hunt making an impact in Tuesday’s $3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Cameron Crockett's usually honest six-year-old hasn't been a factor in his two runs this spring, and he missed one planned run, but Reece Jones is adamant he's going better than his $71 price would suggest.
And the fire coming out of the Randwick track with rain on the weekend is cause for Jones to have belief that on his best form Commando Hunt could cause an upset.
"His sectionals have been quite good, visually they probably haven't been outstanding runs,'' Jones said.
"We've been in a lot harder races than we're going to face too.
"I definitely think he's a little bit under-rated. He's won the Scone Cup, won the Muswellbrook Cup, placed in the Tamworth Cup.
"They are all good lead up races and that form line held up last year when Rustic Steel won it. I'm sure he will give a good account of himself."
Rustic Steel was the Scone Cup winner last year.
Commando Hunt's two runs this spring have been in the Group 2 Theo Marks (1300m) and the $1.5m Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) and as Jones mentioned he's been happy with how the gelding has performed.
Sure he'd have liked to see him finish that little bit closer but after a rousing trial win on October 20, to compensate for missing a scheduled run the next day, he's happy enough to head into the Big Dance.
"He was meant to have a trial at a Scone meeting then go into a race,'' Jones said.
"But he refused to load in the trial so missed his run, so he was just short a run and we made sure he had a good hard hitout at that trial.
"We wanted to find cover, let him run to the line, and have a good blowout and that's exactly what he did. It's built his fitness up and he should be fit for Tuesday."
Jones said from his wide barrier he'll just aim to find the right back to follow into the race and hope Commando Hunt finds his best.
"I'll look for a three wide line and hopefully we get the opportunity to hit the line,'' he said.
"And if we can get a track with a bit of softness in it that would be ideal."
The under-rated hoop is quietly confident he can be a player in the other two 'Dance' races with Coonamble Cup runner-up Irish Kisses in the $750,000 Little Dance (1600m) and Russley Crown in the $250,000 Barn Dance (1300m).
Irish Kisses, trained by Tracey Bartley, has won twice at metro Benchmark 72 level and while Jones hasn't partnered her before he likes what he's seen from her.
"She's been competitive in the Coonamble Cup and she had a nice strong win at the Midweeks,'' he said.
"I think she can run a competitive race and I'm a bit bullish about her chances."
Russley Crown is more familiar to Jones and he's certain the front-running gelding isn't out of place in the feature for country trained horses.
He narrowly missed a berth in the Country Championships Final earlier this year, running second to Talbragar in the Northern Wild Card, and was a last start open handicap winner at Newcastle.
"I've had a few sits on him now and he's very much an on speed horse,'' he said.
"He likes to get up and roll along, he's quite tough and competitive and with a light weight on his back coming into Tuesday I think he can run a good race."
Both Irish Kisses and Russley Crown were $15 chances with TAB on Monday in their respective races.
