Money spinners like Youthful Jack are a rarity. The six-year-old son of the little known Youthful Legs returns to racing in a Flying at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
The mission for the grey gelding is once again Tasmania and trainer Ross Stitt is confident Youthful Jack will be ready for a repeat of last year’s trio of victories on the Apple Isle.
“They are on a bit earlier than last year and he’ll run in the same three races, they are all weight-for-age,” Stitt said on Friday.
Youthful Jack won the George Adams Plate and a Stakes race at Launceston and wedged in between was another such feature at Hobart racetrack.
“The first one was worth $90,000, the other two $100,000,” Stitt said. “He won $175,000 in the month he was down there.”
Not bad for a horse the Taree based Stitt paid $5,000 to own. He and Geoff Sheedy, who “owns a Mexican restaurant in Crows Nest”, race Youthful Jack in partnership.
“He has been a gift to us,” Stitt said.
“I bought him at a mixed sale at William Inglis, he was actually an early season yearling, the sale I think was in October.
“I had a little do with the Youthful Legs’, he was a strong fellow, took my eye, I liked him a lot.”
Sheedy and Stitt raced Youthful Boy together.
“He never reached any great heights but did win five races,” Stitt said.
“If they could all win five races, it would make this game easy.”
To date Youthful Jack has been to the races on 52 occasions. The galloper out of the White Bridle mare Formative has won 16 times, finished second on six occasions and third in five races.
The stake money haul now stands at $961,580 and the first prize at Warwick Farm is $48,750.
“I hope he goes through the $1 million barrier tomorrow but it’ll happen, he’ll do it soon enough,” Stitt said.
“He won a trial easily at Taree recently, only did what he had to do and as long as he is hitting the line tomorrow I’ll be happy.
“He is a tough, lovely natured old fellow. He had a throat operation and his wind is as good as it has ever been.
“The horse is full of enthusiasm.”
And so is that jockey Robert Thompson. The jockey room veteran, who has ridden more winners than other Australian rider, is back on board Youthful Jack at Warwick Farm.
Thompson has won six races on Youthful Jack and they include a Royal Sovereign Stakes at Randwick back in 2009.
“He rode him Tassie earlier this year when he won the three races,” Stitt said. “He is going down again, he tells me.”
By Craig Young
