Jesko took control rounding the home bend and with his pace of the flat he eased clear over the last fence to stroll away to a five-length victory from Al’s Red Zed and the late-closing Call Me Jack, who grabbed third from stablemate Afterallthistime.
Neither horse nor rider would have blown out a match as they returned to the Trentham birdcage before Fannin described how the race panned out.
“I like him to be quiet but I was a little concerned before the start as he had his head on his chest when he is normally up on his toes,” Fannin said.
“He had a good school down here on Tuesday where Hazel rode him herself for the first time over the jumps here. She got a bit scared when she saw the size of the fences but we have a lot of faith in his jumping and it was the key with him having that look around here.
“He is quite nippy, not big and strong, but when he gets it wrong he can recover quickly and good jumpers can land running like he does.
“He is the sort of horse that when he hits the front he can pull up, so he may have been better today if he had something to chase all the way [to the finish] but he does stay well.
“He is the first horse I ever bought, which was a few years ago, so he has been a bit of a project but we think he has got the goods.
“We may look now at the Wellington Steeplechase in three weeks if he pulls up well and then make further plans from there.”
From 21 starts, Jesko has won six races and placed in a further six, winning more than $113,440 in stakes for a group of owners that include Fannin himself and recent additions, the micro-share syndicator RNZ Frac Club 6 Syndicate. Fannin purchased Jesko for just $3300 via gavelhouse.com in 2021.
– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
