Lance Justice has only had Jean Luc – who will get his first taste of Group 1 action on Saturday night – for four starts, but trainer has had his eye on the four-year-old since he was a “baby”, all due to a family connection with a champion New Zealand pacer.
The dam of Jean Luc, who will face some of best horses in his age group in the $100,000 TAB Multiplier 4YO Bonanza, is a half-sister to Washakie, a winner of 53 races, $1.83 million in prizemoney and the only horse to salute in four consecutive Group 1 M.H. Truer Memorials.
Justice said he used to admire Jean Luc’s ‘half-uncle’, who competed against his two champions, Sokyola and Smoken Up.
“I had (Jean Luc’s) older brother, Jean Baptiste, who had his issues but was still a nice horse,” Justice said.
“I first saw him when he was a baby over there (in NZ) but he wasn’t quite ready to be sold. We just sort of zeroed in on him for a couple of years, kept an eye on him, and when it came up to inquiring about purchasing we got him.”
With only five starts to his name, Jean Luc will easily be the 4YO Bonanza’s most inexperienced runner.
And the Colin Croft-owned horse faces a steep rise in class from country grade to the likes of Inter Dominion heat winners Im Pats Delight and Spankem and juvenile star Poster Boy, who has won almost $500,000 for Emma Stewart.
But Justice is under no illusion about his chances, even after drawing the pole.
“We are not expecting a great deal – it is a big race; you are racing the best four-year-olds and some of the horses have had 20 or 30 starts and he has had bugger all,” Justice said.
“It is going to be a hard push to get any money but I figure if he finishes in the first four or five he is going to earn a nice cheque and be a lot better for it.
“He is still green and immature; we are hoping he measures up to the best ones but he has got a long way to go yet. He is no star yet but he could potentially be something good.”
Racegoers will be treated to a huge night of top-flight trots action at Melton, with seven Group races and four Group 1s – the 4YO Bonanza, Schweppes Ladyship Cup, Woodlands Great Southern Star and Woodlands Victoria Derby Final.
Justice has another three hopes on the night: Love Ina Chevy in the Group 2 DNR Logistics Casey Classic, Rishi in the Del Re National Food Group Pace for those classed M1 to M3, and Beach Skipper in the first heat of the Cogs Services Rising Stars Pace.
“Rishi has been going good but he has outdrawn the back row, makes it hard, but his class should bring him up to the front,” Justice said.
“Love Ina Chevy has drawn the back row but that shouldn’t matter to him as it suits him back there.
“The one who has been going really good and hasn’t had a lot of luck is Beach Skipper and he has drawn 7 again so that sort of makes it hard for him again.”
