Jet Explorer has found winning form and looks hard to beat in Race 6 at Fairview today.
However, thanks to Justin Snaith there looks to be a desert island in what seems to be a sea infested by sharks.
Snaith saddles three horses in Race 6, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m on the turf track, but the pick is undoubtedly Jet Explorer. Now seven-years-old, the son of Jet Master was considered good enough to race against the best in the land until his unfortunate accident in which he came down during the 2014 running of the Grade 1 Gold Challenge, splintering his jaw. It was thought he would have to be put down but some superb work by the vets saw him return to the track in less than five months.
While he ran some positive races over the next 16 months, Jet Explorer could not find his way to the winner’s enclosure until Snaith sent him to Port Elizabeth. Finally, on 26 February, Jet Explorer ended his drought with victory in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m. It was a vintage performance in which jockey S’manga Khumalo held him off the pace and when asked to run, the gelding just burst through to beat stable companion Paolo by 0.75 lengths.
It’s a case of déjà vu today. The pair once again line up once in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m. They meet at the same weights, with the same jockeys up and one should expect the same outcome.
Jet Explorer is the best weighted runner and is at least 2kg better handicapped than any of his opposition. The horses rated joint second are King Of Indians, who seems to excel on Polytrack rather than turf, and Masterly who notched up four successive wins last year on the Polytrack.
He is also from the Snaith yard but has not raced since January and could be in need of the run. However, Andrew Fortune is aboard so expect a forward showing.