Racing: Gee I Jane delivers killer blow

Cambridge trainer Neville Couchman was a little annoyed at the lack of pre-race attention paid to stable star Gee I Jane heading into the Telegraph Handicap at Trentham.

The $120,000 Group One event yesterday was seen by many punters as a benefit for lower North Island-trained sensation Baldessarini.

But someone forgot to tell Gee I Jane and Brisbane-based jockey Scott Seamer that fact as this combination effortlessly overpowered a quality field of sprinters to win the time-honoured 1200m event.

Seamer had Gee I Jane off the rails and out of trouble throughout the running and the 5-year-old lengthened stride in brutal fashion down the centre of the track to win by two lengths over Dezigna.

A further three lengths away in third position was Magistra Delecta.

Baldessarini had little luck during the race and was locked away against the rails. While he ran on solidly to finish sixth, he had no chance of catching the winner.

"I honestly believe that Gee I Jane is the best six furlong [1200m] sprinter in New Zealand and has been so for the last 12 months," said a beaming Couchman after the race, his first Group One win.

"It's just a fact of life when you train a sprinter that you quite often have bad luck in races and when that happens over a short distance you can't win.

"Gee I Jane was very unlucky in the Railway Handicap and Telegraph Handicaps last season.

"This season I took her to Melbourne and she was unlucky in her first two starts then she came down with a lung infection.

"I was extremely confident she could win the Railway Handicap but again we had bad luck when finishing second behind Baldessarini.

"We got boxed in against the rail and the other horse had clear galloping room and won.

"When you look at the Telegraph we got the clear racing room and won easily while the other horse [Baldessarini] had no luck.

"This mare has extreme speed and I am very tempted to take her to Brisbane for the Stradbroke Handicap. I had a long talk with Scott [Seamer] after the race and he agreed with me that the Stradbroke is a smart option with her.

"Although that race is run over seven furlongs [1400m] they go that hard in front that it is quite often won by the horses that can finish off their races strongly.

"Scott has told me to keep her to six furlong races before starting her in the Stradbroke and he is very keen to ride her."

The $A1 million ($1.11 million) Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) is in Brisbane in the winter.

Thorndon Mile contenders Dezigna, Manten (fourth) and Pin Up Boy (fifth) did their win prospects in next Saturday's Group One feature no harm when they turned in eye-catching performances.

Dezigna and Manten made ground impressively in the home stretch while Pin Up Boy sat on the speed throughout the running and fought on solidly.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY