Jack on Track After Titanic Valley Gallop

Tuesday, 13 August 2002 00:00

Unbeaten three-year-old Titanic Jack is expected to give brilliant colt Bel Esprit a run for his money in Saturday's Mitchell McKenzie Stakes after a stirring track gallop at Moonee Valley this morning.

Both Titanic Jack and Bel Esprit were among about 16 horses to gallop at the Valley this morning and the two star youngsters provided the most impressive performances.

A son of the exciting Victorian based sire Encosta de Lago, Titanic Jack galloped with a stablemate this morning and they were clocked as running their final 400 metres in a slick 24.55 seconds.

Bel Esprit and Nash Rawiller, who'll ride the colt on Saturday, galloped with stablemate Tarathea in a time just three hundredths slower for the same distance.

The other pair to impress over their final two sectionals were the Robert Smerdon pairing of Flashed and Spurn, both already proven stakes winners.

Brian Mayfield-Smith's star pairing of Rubitano and Innovation Girl both looked sharp, but their times were a touch slower, without being fully extended.

Other horses to gallop this morning included the Hong Kong galloper Able Choice, the Sydneysider Before too Long and the Russell Cameron quartet of Aragonce, Chiming Door, Star Doc and The Big Chill.

PIC - Quentin Lang.