Per Incanto’s Jimmysstar grabs his first Group 1
New Zealand-based stallion Per Incanto (Street Cry) brought up his eighth elite winner when Jimmysstar stormed home to take out Saturday’s Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) at Caulfield.
Ridden by Ethan Brown, the Ciaron Maher-trained five-year-old gelding settled at the rear from barrier 14 of 16, and as the leaders tired near the end of a typically frenetic edition of the time-honoured sprint, flew to the line to win by 1.25 lengths at $7.50.
Charlotte Littlefield’s $5.50 favourite She’s Bulletproof (Shooting To Win) performed gallantly to take second after providing Jimmysstar’s cart into the race in the home straight, 0.75 lengths ahead of Robbie Griffith’s $8 shot Rey Magnerio (Magnus).
Bred in New Zealand by Pete and Chrissy Algie in partnership with Per Incanto’s Little Avondale Stud, Jimmysstar won five of his first six starts before falling foul of punters when twice beaten as a short odds-on favourite in two successive starts, at Flemington and Newcastle, last autumn.
He redeemed himself in the spring with two wins including Caulfield’s Weekend Hussler Stakes (Listed, 1400m), and a second in Flemington’s Linlithgow Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m), before showing his versatility first-up on Saturday with his eighth victory in 15 starts.
Jimmysstar is one of 12 Australian stakes winners from 183 runners for Per Incanto, who has 32 from 642 worldwide, and who currently sits at a career-high 13th on the Australian general sires’ table, mostly due to the efforts of his son Gringotts.
Per Incanto’s lofty position comes from just 80 Australian runners. Of the 12 sires above him coming into Saturday, only the sub-fertile Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) had fewer, with 66.
Maher said he was delighted to achieve another Group 1 success for his heavyweight owner Ozzie Kheir.
“He is a very special horse. Ozzie Kheir and the team of owners, they’re great people,” Maher said.
“He’s got such a following, does Jimmy. I’ve been patient, he has always shown that sort of ability and Brownie did say to me, ‘It’s about time’, before the race.”
While five of Jimmysstar’s wins have come from 1300 metres to 1500 metres, Maher said he was keen on the gelding’s chances on Saturday, given he resumed with a narrow victory over 1100 metres at Caulfield in Benchmark 100 class last September.
“That certainly gave me the confidence,” Maher said. “I think Ozzie thought I was crazy when I ran him over 1100 metres the first time. He’s a special horse. He’s always shown that bit of X factor.”
Brown said he was stunned by Jimmysstar’s finishing burst.
“I haven’t had a horse probably go as quick, ever. I’d love to see his sectionals late, he flew late,” he said.
“What a training performance to have a 1400-metre horse fresh up in an Oakleigh Plate and run like that, it’s quite amazing.
“When I looked up and the field bunched I thought, ‘Geez, we’re really in striking range here’. I straightened up on She’s Bulletproof’s back and thought I’ve just got to bide my time here, take a breath, and once that gap opened, geez he let go well.
“I’d have to say he’s the best sprinter I’ve ridden, especially on raceday. He’s certainly come back a better horse, he showed his true colours last prep but he’s improved again. He’ll be winning big races again, don’t worry about that.”
Jimmysstar is the third of five foals for Anniesstar (Zed), a Listed winner in New Zealand, who died in 2023.
The mare’s first throw was Jimmysstar’s sister Charm’s Star (Per Incanto), a Group 3 winner who, showing the family’s versatility, was twice Group 1-placed – in the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) and Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m).
Brown has now ridden seven Group 1 winners – three of them for Maher this season, after Another Prophet (Brazen Beau) in the Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and Light Infantry Man (Fast Company) in Perth’s Northerly Stakes (Gr 1, 1800m).
The 25-year-old jockey said Maher had helped coax him back to riding after he took a break from the sport amid a period of self-doubt following his apprenticeship, and said he treasured his relationship with the master trainer.
“Words can’t describe how much I value it – he’s been nothing but good to me, Ciaron,” Brown said.
“I remember early doors I had a break from riding – I’d just come out my time – and he sat me down and said, ‘I think you’ve got something there, you’ve got a bit of ability’.
“And I said, ‘If I come back, will you support me?’ and he said ‘Yeah, I will’. “I’ve done the work for him but he’s certainly backed me up and to get these winners for him makes it much more special.”