Jonker - Looks the goods

Kristen Manning

Untapped juvenile Jonker raced to favouritism for next month's $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a stunning win in today's $200,000 Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic (RL).

Jonker treated a classy field with contempt, winning the big juvenile feature by four and a quarter lengths and emerged as one of the horses to beat in the Gold Coast's biggest equine test.

Trainer David Atkins predicted even more improvement for the son of Spirit of Boom heading into the Gold Coast feature on January 13.

Sent out the third favourite with bookmakers the Newcastle trained youngster sat just behind the leader La Pomme De Pin before bursting clear in the straight for the easiest of wins.

Jonker is now unbeaten in his two starts after a recent debut win in the inaugural running of the Max Lees Classic at his home track of Newcastle.

At Newcastle, Jonker was sent out an odds on favourite after an astonishing 9.3 length trial win on the Beaumont track.

"I always liked him but his second jump out was very sharp and I thought he might be something handy," Atkins told reporters after the race. "Then he trialled super and has just got better and better ever since."

The win was a fairytale result for country jockey Aaron Bullock with today's victory clearly the biggest in his career to date.
"I’ve never ridden a city winner but it’s a good way to kick off and ride one that’s for sure," Bullock said from the winner's circle.

"He’s a horse that was never really off the bit until I asked him to let down which is a big attribute around here."

Connections praised Bullock for his perfect ride today and all indications point to him retaining the ride in the $2 million Classic on January 13.

"I wasn’t sure if I’d keep the ride today to tell you the truth so if I can keep the ride up there it would be a great thrill."
Among those celebrating after the race was part owner Doug Crich, the man who purchased Jonker from the Book Two section of January's Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Crich went to $45,000 to secure the colt from the draft of Fig Tree Thoroughbreds.

Jonker was bred from Wicklow Lodge by Jeff Cullen. It's been a remarkable couple of seasons for Cullen after breeding the Group Two winner and exciting young sire Winning Rupert. Cullen only has a handful of mares at his Queensland property.

Today's Classic win for Jonker continued the incredible run for Eureka Stud's first season sire Spirit of Boom, himself a Group One winner sold through the famous Magic Millions sale ring on the Gold Coast.

Only last Saturday he was represented by his first stakes winner Ef Troop in the Phelan Ready Stakes at Doomben and at the same track just over 30 minutes later Spirit of Boom's debuting daughter Outback Barbie won the Calaway Gal Stakes.

Jonker is the first runner to date for his dam, the twice winning Kempinsky mare Hearts and Arrows.

Successful up to 1600 metres, Hearts and Arrows is a half sister to the Melbourne Group Three winner Fair Trade - a high class performer who was sold and raced with success in Hong Kong.

Hearts and Arrows' latest yearling, a filly by Magic Albert, will be catalogued for the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale. That sale has also attracted 42 youngsters by Jonker's sire Spirit of Boom.

Also in Jonker's family is Impaler, a multiple Group Two winner by Dracula, who was trained during his career by David Atkins.