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Reports20 July 2024

'This is how you take your business to the next level' - Jack Jones on cloud nine as Caburn strikes in Super Sprint

Caburn (Dylan Hogan,centre) wins the Super Sprint at Newbury
Caburn (orange silks) challenges between rivals to win the Super Sprint Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Burgeoning trainer Jack Jones described Caburn's victory in the Weatherbys Super Sprint as "monstrous" for his Newmarket stable and is now eyeing a first win at Group level in next month's Gimcrack at York.

The 29-year-old, in his second full season with a training licence, started with just three horses in 2022 but took a huge step up the ranks with the biggest success of his career and a juvenile making just his second start.

Jones cut his teeth in the jumps yards of Paul Nicholls and Kim Bailey before stints with Chris Waller in Australia and David Simcock and Richard Spencer in Newmarket, and he hailed the biggest day of his career after Caburn's last-gasp victory under Dylan Hogan.

"In our second full season, to even have runners at a meeting like this is fantastic," said Jones, who has expanded to a team of 35 horses. "This is monstrous for us. Last season was all about the 0-50 races and getting winners and getting noticed. Getting the snowball rolling is very hard and there were times in that first year when I thought, 'What am I doing?'

"You've just got to trust your system and trust what you're doing. To now get horses of this calibre running at meetings like this is how you take your business to the next level. It's a hugely important day."

Jack Jones greets Caburn and Dylan Hogan after their win in the Super Sprint
Jack Jones greets Caburn and Dylan Hogan after their win in the Super Sprint Credit: Edward Whitaker
Caburn, who carried the colours of a syndicate headed up by Steve Antram, was one of the first under pressure and needed every yard of the five furlongs. Striking from well off the pace, he hit the front only in the final stride to deny Vingegaard by a neck.

"The question mark was dropping back to five furlongs after he won over six on his debut," said Jones. "We were always coming here with the prize-money but, in the first two furlongs, I thought this ain't happening today. 

"To do that on his second start is pretty unreal and the Gimcrack would be an obvious next step. This will be the last time he'll run over five furlongs – onwards and upwards."

Freelance rider Hogan was hopeful the victory could take his career to the next level, too, although the stewards took a dim view of the way he switched the winner sharply to his left within the final furlong, causing considerable interference to Invincible Annice. He was banned for 11 days for improper riding.

"I was outpaced early, but I knew he'd get going and, once he hit that little dip a furlong and a half out, he really accelerated and was very tough," said the 29-year-old rider. 

"I've always had a lot of faith in this horse and he's repaying me now. He's a proper horse and six furlongs at York would be right up his street."


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