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posted on 11 April, 2021

Novara Park bred creates Derby history

Explosive Jack became the first Tasmanian Derby winner to also score an ATC Derby victory after a thrilling finish to the Group 1 classic at Randwick on Saturday.

The son of Jakkalberry prevailed in a thrilling finish, with the first three past the post all bred in New Zealand and sold at Karaka in a bumper result for the New Zealand breeding industry.

Explosive Jack has been a model of consistency, winning four of his seven starts with a further two placings and has made multiple interstate trips since winning on debut at Swan Hill in November.

The winner of the Listed Tasmanian Derby (2200m) in February, Explosive Jack provided his late Novara Park sire with his first stakes winner and now becomes his first Group One winner.

“It’s phenomenal really. This horse has been in work a long time. He’s been to all our stables and the team have done an extraordinary job with him,” Maher said.

“His last piece of work on Saturday was the best piece he’s done since he’s had a saddle on his back.

“Johnny (Allen, jockey) was on board him at Werribee and he just said ‘he’s flying’ and I said ‘well that’s how it looks’. 

A vocal group of owners were on track to cheer home Explosive Jack who is raced by a syndicate headed by Mick and Alise Johnston.

“With every run he’s got better. He’s still improving now, who knows where the ceiling is.”

The win provided jockey John Allen with his 11th Group One win in a good ride to make his move early. 

“He is a tough horse, the distance was never going to be a worry with him. We got cover on the back of Young Werther. Montefilia actually popped out down the side and pushed me out a bit wide,” Allen said.

“Once we got to the outside, he really let down and he tries his guts out this horse.”

Explosive Jack was purchased by Peter Moody, who was taking a break from training at the time, for $100,000 out of the draft of Luigi Muollo’s Novara Park at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale at Karaka.

A half-brother to Pick Number One, the Champion Griffin in Hong Kong in 2017-18, Explosive Jack is the second stakes-winners from as many to race out of Extra Explosive.

A daughter of Ekraar, Extra Explosive won the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) and is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Explosive Dance, the dam of the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Vin de Dance.

Globe-trotting Group One winner Jakkalberry stood at Novara Park for four seasons before his premature death from a gut infection. 

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