Caburn camp keen to step back up in trip for Gimcrack

Jack Jones: ‘It’s a step up in class but I think he’s warranted a go at it.’

Jack Jones is intending to head next to the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes at York with his unbeaten juvenile Caburn.

The two-year-old is a Twilight Son colt purchased for just 24,000 guineas from the October Yearling Sale at Tattersalls and made his debut when winning a restricted Salisbury novice in June.

He then moved on to the valuable Super Sprint at Newbury, where he started at 14-1 under Dylan Hogan and flew to a hard-fought neck success from Vingegaard, having picked his way through a busy field.

Now he will step up to Group Two level on the Knavesmire to contest the Gimcrack, run over six furlongs for a winning prize fund of over GBP 140,000.

Newmarket-based Jones said: “He went to Salisbury and won nicely from a bad draw. That was a very good day.

Caburn ahead of the Super Sprint
Caburn ahead of the Super Sprint (David Davies/PA)

“Straight away from Salisbury, we earmarked the Super Sprint. I think dropping down to five (furlongs) wasn’t ideal but when you pay all that money for entry fees, you’ve sort of half got to bite the bullet and run.

“He was training well prior to the Super Sprint. I couldn’t go into it saying I was confident – I thought he’d run well and he was a nice horse, but it was a 19-runner race, back down to five on quick ground. For me, six furlongs and a bit of cut in the ground is his forte.

“To do it like he did was very special and I think sort of points that there should be improvement back up to six. He was first off the bridle, which was even more a suggestion why six is more his thing – and, in time, seven.

“You don’t see many horses stick their neck out, ears back and want to win like Caburn did. It was a very, very special day. To be completely honest, it hasn’t really sunk in yet.”

Jones, whose string-size is around 35, has Caburn on course for a first crack at Group company and a return to six furlongs later this month.

He added: “It’s a step up in class but I think he’s warranted a go at it and we’ll see where we are from there, I guess. He seems in good form – he has done two canters up Warren Hill this morning (Tuesday) and will gallop tomorrow (Wednesday).

“I’m quite level-headed with everything. You’ve got to train them as a normal horse – you can’t wrap them up in cotton wool. You’ve just got to stick to your system, stick to what’s working.”

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