Enigmatic galloper Diamond Jak exacted the perfect revenge when he came with a perfectly timed run to take out Saturday’s feature flat race at Te Rapa, the Callinan Family Taumarunui Gold Cup (2100m) after being narrowly denied success in the 2024 version of the event.
The Mark Brosnan-trained rising seven-year-old had beaten narrowly by Saturday’s race rival Hula Beat in a stirring finish in 2024 and brought good form to the 2025 edition although this was tempered by his knack of missing the jump in his races and setting himself an impossible task on most occasions.
Rider Samatha Collett was wide awake to those habits as she got him away on terms on Saturday and had him travelling sweetly towards the rear but well within striking distance.
Collett set him alight approaching the home turn and he loomed into contention outside topweight Drop Of Something (60kgs) with 300m to run.
That pair set down to fight out a driving finish which saw Diamond Jak thrust his head in front to defeat Drop Of Something at the winning post, with Quick Fire and Arjay’s Flight close-up behind the first two.
Brosnan cut a contented figure when questioned after the race.
I’m very happy as he should have won the race last year, so I’m very grateful to get it today,” Brosnan said.
“He is a big horse but not the biggest frame as he doesn’t eat much.
“It was also a very good ride by Sam.”
Collett had noted before the race her biggest goal was to get the horse away from the starting gates with the rest of the field and was relieved she had done that.
“He has definitely hopped (out) a bit better, but in saying that I was still a long way back,” she said.
“Plan B was to let him get through his gears and at the half mile he was tracking up nicely on a speed that had been quite genuine.
“He was still making hard work of it on the corner and I had covered more ground than Christopher Columbus, so I was pleased he was so fit.
“Mark has done a great job with him and he was unlucky not to win last year. He was the fittest and best horse here today.”
The six-year-old son of Jakkalberry has now won five of his 31 starts and over $194,000 in prizemoney.