Country cups double for Jacka Investments

Victorian owner-breeders John and Helen McPhee claimed a feature country double on the weekend with Toolangi (Towong Cup) and Baby Jack (Corowa Cup).

The Brian Cox trained gallopers were ridden by Jake Duffy and won on either side of the border for the McPhee family’s Jacka Investments carrying the black & pink checked colours.

“Brian was confident Toolangi could come through based on his work,” Duffy said on Saturday.  “I didn’t want to let him go too early and there was still plenty left into the straight.”

Toolangi is a son of former Blue Gum Farm sire Umatilla and Bluebird mare Blue Juno.  His dam is related to Champion Hong Kong Sprinter Sacred Kingdom who was sired by Encosta de Lago when he initially stood at Blue Gum.

Blue Juno died a week after foaling Toolangi in September 2009 and Umatilla passed away at Blue Gum two years later aged 23.

Baby Jack came from the tail of the field to defeat stablemate Bringenbrong in the Corowa Cup on Sunday.  He was held up on the fence before finding room and storming to the line.  “It only seemed a matter of time before they stopped,” Duffy said.  “They fanned on the corner and I was on the best horse in the race.”

The McPhees bred Baby Jack by using Half Hennessy over Good Stuff (Marwina).  The mare was a difficult breeder – the Corowa Cup winner was her only foal in five seasons at stud.

TOOLANGI Photo: Elenor Tedenborg / Border Mail

TOOLANGI
Photo: Elenor Tedenborg / Border Mail