Derby rivals face uphill task against We Jammin

WE JAMMIN’s St Leger rebound from his shock defeat in the Kingston proved that, when sound, he has no equal among the colts and geldings, regardless of distance.

Sent off at 3-1 in the 10-furlong St Leger a month ago, after missing June’s 2000 Guineas at a mile following his loss in May’s Kingston, WE JAMMIN returned from a two-month lay-up to school old rival SALUTE THE DON in a dominant display of relentless pace.

Hooked to SALUTE THE DON’s girth strap for eight furlongs, WE JAMMIN skipped away and changed his lead early in the stretch run when asked to quicken by Reyan Lewis. With no other challenger in sight, all having been run off their legs by the top two colts, WE JAMMIN coasted home by four and a half lengths in his first race around two turns.

Returning to a route trip, two furlongs farther in Thursday’s Jamaica Derby, the only question surrounding WE JAMMIN is whether he came out of the St Leger sounder than he did after April’s Prince Consort. He had won that race by five and a quarter lengths, but flopped a month later in the Kingston while dealing with leg issues.

One thing is certain: trainer Peter-John Parsard would have learnt plenty from the Kingston, a template which, if followed, should result in a Jamaica Derby victory for owner Paul Lumsden.

Whereas SALUTE THE DON and WE JAMMIN separated themselves from the pack in the St Leger, the derby picture could be painted on a different canvas, primarily because of the tactics expected to be employed by champion trainer Jason DaCosta to give his closers, LONDON SPIRIT and Saturday’s Oaks winner DREAM CATCHER, a chance from off the pace.

To ensure a torrid tempo that could unsettle SALUTE THE DON and WE JAMMIN, DaCosta has entered MAVERICK, BIGGER BOSS and EYE OF THE TIGER, all sprinters likely to be ridden with one purpose.

However, SALUTE THE DON and WE JAMMIN have already seen off that lot at shorter distances through sheer class, which could leave the rabbits dropping away when the pace quickens approaching the half-mile.

LONDON SPIRIT and DREAM CATCHER will run their honest races from off the pace, but DaCosta’s intended tactics could also play into the hands of other closers such as STARDOM, who ran down stablemate SALUTE THE DON in the Kingston but failed by half a length to catch him in the 2000 Guineas.

Though he failed to fire around two turns in the St Leger after being pushed wide at the clubhouse turn, the anticipated pace could suit STARDOM, who will be partnered by Anthony Thomas, flown in to replace Dane Dawkins, now aboard SALUTE THE DON for the injured Raddesh Roman.

Pace makes the race and often upends the best-laid plans, an attribute WE JAMMIN displayed following the break in his first race around two turns.

If there is a dark horse worth considering, take a look at Richard Azan’s DARWIN, who won impressively with a tongue-tie fitted over nine furlongs and 25 yards, clocking 1:55.2 on June 20. DARWIN’s dam, Cape, was sired by the Australian champion Lonhro, who won 26 of his 35 starts and passed on a strong staying influence associated with United Kingdom bloodlines to his offspring.