Michael Coleman still needs convincing that Jokers Wild is not looking for a break from racing, despite his form-reversal win in Saturday's $40,000 Fairview Ford Slipper at Matamata.
Jokers Wild came off some below-par form to take a narrow win over debut runner Cadre Noir in the Listed stakes event, displaying
close to the talent he promised in his first two raceday appearances.
Co-trainer Andrew Scott admitted that Jokers Wild had been staring at the spelling paddock after working in ordinary style at Matamata last Tuesday morning.
Coleman rode him in that gallop and went into yesterday's race reasonably convinced the handsome colt was starting to tail off in his preparation.
"He's doing a few things like a horse that's had enough for a while."
You would not have guessed that as Jokers Wild sat outside the raging favourite Redbreb to the home turn.
When Redbreb started to wilt against the inside from the 300m, Jokers Wild grabbed the lead and held strongly to repel a challenge from Cadre Noir.
Jokers Wild has suddenly gone from a horse heading for a spell to a strong prospect in a group-one feature - the $150,000 Ford Diamond Stakes on the final day of the Ellerslie three-day carnival.
"We took the blinkers off," said Scott.
"Even though he'd been doing a few things wrong, he still hadn't had a lot of luck. He was three wide in the half million [dollars] at Te Rapa and ended up in a speed duel in front at Wellington."
Cadre Noir looks a horse of enormous promise.
He looked likely to run past Jokers Wild and will almost certainly be better for the experience.
In finishing third Habana proved yet again he is New Zealand's most talented maiden by adding a placing to his form behind the likes of Italia, Chant and Royal Pericles.
With luck Habana would have been closer.
He enjoyed a perfect trip to the home turn, but could not accelerate quickly enough to take advantage of a gap outside Jokers Wild and was then held up in the closing stages.
"That's the way his luck is going at the moment," said rider Noel Harris.
"The day things go his way he'll win one."
