Jumbo Back with A Bang

When the Craven meeting rolls round there’s a feeling that the flat season really kicks into gear. It is the first time that many classic contenders are seen and there are some quality handicaps for the punters to start getting their notes ready for the season ahead. It is a meeting that Kevin enjoys and does like to take some nice horses down there. One such horse is Major Jumbo who could just be a sprinting star in the making and he returned to action with an all the way win in the 5f Quy Mill Hotel & Spa Handicap. 

Consistency can be one of the most difficult traits to find in horses and especially in sprinters, who are laying it all on the line with every run. There is no hiding place when the sprinters are hurtling along and races are over in just under a minute. Major Jumbo has seen a steady rise up the ranks but with every task he has risen to the occasion. Last season was where he really broke through and despite the handicapper continually putting him up, Jumbo managed to win or be placed in all but one of his nine runs. After rounding his 3yr old season off with a win at York, over 6f for the first time, Major jumbo went into the winter with plenty of expectations behind him. His steady rise had seen his mark go from opening 67 all the way to 94 and it was clear that he would now have to take on some big boys. 

The grey gelding got straight back into his work following his winter break and was as impressive as ever. Kevin felt very early on that he had a proper sprinter and it seemed as though Jumbo had improved once again. Physically he had strengthened up and he maintained the relax attitude that he has shown from day one. The winter months couldn’t go by quick enough as connections were so keen to get him back on the track. With form on the all-weather it was tempting to possibly start him off on the artificial surface but Kevin preferred patience and waited for a turf opportunity.

Weather conditions had scuppered any early start for Jumbo, with racing either called off or the ground just too testing. This meant entries came and went but finally things brightened up in time for Newmarket. The sprints are always competitive there and at this time of year there is a good mix of older established sprinters and ones looking to build a reputation. This was true with the 9 runners who lined up for the 5f event with horses like Move In Time who only two years ago won the group 1 Prix De L’Abbaye. Kevin turned to Nicola Currie for the ride on Jumbo, keen to utilise the apprentice’s 5lb claim. Nicola has proved to be a rising star and is one of the best 5lb claimers around. Having ridden a couple of winners whilst also impressing on other rides over the winter, Nicola was booked to partner Jumbo. The 5lb taken off was not because Kevin felt Jumbo wasn’t good enough off his current mark but as it was his first run of the year a little help could prove fruitful in the latter stages of the race. 

Major Jumbo is a very straight forward horse to train and to ride. With natural speed to burn you just have to let him jump and travel, with the only instruction being to keep him from over exerting himself. As always Jumbo was quickly away and Nicola just dropped her hands, allowing jumbo to stride on. He set a good early pace and although not far away and trying to press his rivals seemed happy to let him go on and lead. Nothing had been winning from underneath the stands rail suggesting the better ground was towards the centre of the track. Drawn in 3 Nicola decided to go straight as a gun barrel and so led the field in the middle of the track. Jumbo led by a length through the first furlong and ensured the pace was going to test his rivals. 

It was clear that Jumbo was enjoying himself out in front and showing his usual speed, there was no sight of his rivals. Clear track was up ahead and Jumbo galloped along the undulations of the Rowley mile with ease. They were soon through the first half of the race and began to gallop down into the famous dip. With the leader going well it was here that a few of those giving chase began to try and close on Jumbo. Nicola was riding him with soft hands and this allowed her to just keep jumbo together as the ground began to run away from them. One by one his rivals began to come off the bridle but there was not real inroads to the lead. Storm Over, who had been sent off favourite, was one of the first to buckle and despite being on Jumbo’s heels throughout he couldn’t get any closer. Suddenly there was only Jumbo left travelling on the bridle and the race looked like a completely different prospect. 

The 2f pole came and went and now Jumbo hit the bottom of the dip still travelling well. The lead was still close to a length but now Nicola got lower in the saddle and went fro home. Kicking Jumbo in the belly he quickened up well not giving his rivals any respite. Erssimus Maximus had been close throughout the contest and had loomed large down the stands side but once Jumbo quickened up he had no answer. The grey pulled out into a couple of lengths advantage and now just had to see out the finish as the ground began to rise up once again. It looked as though 7 of his 8 rivals were done, they couldn’t catch him now but the oldest runner in the line up Move In Time was trying to make late headway. 

First runs of the year always come with a few question marks about just how sharp the horse is. Jumbo had travelled so well through the race and now kicked clear but there was always that little query as to whether he would just start to tie up in the latter stages up the hill. Any doubts were swiftly dispelled as he continued to respond to pressure and there was no shortening of the stride. Move In Time was closing and giving chase but it was all in vain. Major Jumbo was flying up the hill and had enough of an advantage to allow Nicola to ease down in the last few yards. He had not seen a rival since the stalls and powered home to make a winning return by 1 1/4 lengths. 

Major Jumbo’s record is fantastic and he continues to improve race by race. There was a feeling that Jumbo was better than ever from the form he had shown at home and this translated to the track. Not only has he got speed to burn but he can quicken up and then maintain that run. This win was off a mark of 94 and the manner in which he won will give the handicapper food for thought. Jumbo will probably be heading towards a mark of 100 but Kevin is very sweet on him. The big sprint handicaps were always the plan and so a race such as the Dash at Epsom on Derby day looks perfect for Major Jumbo. Mr Rahman has enjoyed some good successes and Jumbo looks set to provide plenty more. He could well improve to be pattern class so the season is full of possibilities. Nicola deserves huge credit also. It was her first ride at Newmarket and she showed great maturity to give Jumbo a peach of a ride. It can be easy to do too much on a horse like Jumbo but she got the fractions perfect. Both horse and jockey look to have bright futures ahead of them.