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Jakk on the board at The Valley

3 minute read

Handy stayer Highland Jakk snared a metropolitan victory at The Valley on New Year’s Eve, when coming with a perfectly timed run under Craig Williams to narrowly get the better of the fast-finishing Fighting Arrow in the Ladbrokes Same Race Multi Handicap (2040m).

HIGHLAND JAKK winning the Same Race Multi Handicap at Moonee Valley in Australia. Picture: Racing Photos

It was the fifth career victory for the son of Jakkalberry who is prepared by Robert Hickmott at Ballarat.

"It was a super ride and he got the run when he needed it," Hickmott said.

"The natural transition for this horse is to a Rating 78 and there is one next week over a mile and a half, which might come up a bit soon, but we would like to step him up to that distance again soon.

"We can still win those graded races which is terrific.

"He had a bleed as a three-year-old, so we had to give him one year and get his lungs right but now he is a fully set horse, he won't have a problem."

Highland Jakk was bought by Hickmott's brother Michael at the 2018 Karaka yearling sales. He was a $25,000 purchase from Luigi Muollo's Novara Park, home to his late sire Jakkalberry, who was placed in the 2012 Melbourne Cup.

As a three-year-old Highland Jakk placed at Listed level in behind Pancho and subsequent Group One winner Russian Camelot.