Racing: Tough Jays Debut outstays age group opposition

A relieved Blair Orange was graciously accepting congratulations from harness fans after the running of the feature 3-year-old event at Alexandra Park yesterday.

The Christchurch-based harness driver has been bragging to anybody who would listen about the ability and class of Jays Debut. The 3-year-old finally delivered at the Auckland Cup Carnival producing a brutal display of stamina and power to win the $150,000 Sale Series Final.

The well-built son of boom stallion Presidential Ball left no excuses for his age group rivals, racing three wide from the start of the 2200m event and then sweeping forward to lead for the last lap.

Jays Debut outstayed the opposition to win by a half-length over the solid finishing The Reckoning with a further neck back to Christian Spirit (third).

The 2200m was covered in a slick 2.42.7 (mile rate 1.59.1) with closing 800m and 400m sectional times of 58.6 and 29.8 seconds.

"I've always had a massive opinion of this horse and today it was just a matter of sitting out three wide from the start and letting the rest of the field slug it out to get the front," said Orange.

"I worked forward to sit outside the leader at the 1200 and pressed on to lead and he was just trucking along. He was digging deep over that final 50m but he was entitled to get tired as he was out three wide from the start when they were really burning in front.

"I think that, potentially, he's the best horse I have driven although he has a little way to go yet before I'd rate him higher than Jack Cade.

"We had no luck in the Great Northern Derby when finishing third behind Monkey King and it was good to have things swing in our favour. "He'll have a little break and Mark Purdon [who takes over as trainer after a four-month suspension] will have a racing programme mapped out for him.

"I'm sure they'll be looking at the Victoria Derby in February at Moonee Valley and he's an ideal horse for a race like that because he can be driven aggressively and make his own luck."

Caretaker trainer Grant Payne has done a wonderful job handling the huge Purdon team.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY