Thompson shines on The Jackal

Tony White

Tony White

ENIGMATIC four-year-old The Jackal paved a fairway of gold for former golf professional Paul St Vincent by winning the $125,000 Black Toyota Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton yesterday. It was an emotion-charged win for Tamworth-based St Vincent, who has attended the Clarence River Jockey Club's July Racing Carnival for three decades. Unfortunately, the chances of a local win in the feature sprint went by the wayside, Phil McLeod's Forestreno finishing a gallant fifth and Sircolo, trained by John Shelton, winding up 10th. x St Vincent, 56, was brought to tears at the enormity of the occasion before a massive crowd on day three of the carnival.x "His (The Jackal's) win in the Healy Stakes was good, but winning this (the Ramornie) in front of all these people at Grafton is very special, simply the best," St Vincent said. "I've been coming to Grafton for over 30 years. Old Merv (Corliss) just kept bringing me over." St Vincent acknowledges octogenarian Corliss as his mentor. Corliss is part of Grafton Carnival history, having won a swag of races including Akwazoff in the 1997 Grafton Cup. And the quietly spoken Vincent was proud as punch having his two sons Kane, 29 and Aiden, 26 standing alongside him in the winners' circle. "I hope they take over the business, I want them too," St Vincent said. "I want to give this (training) away. "Without this horse I would have been broke and gave away the game 100 years ago." Starting the $4.80 favourite and ridden superbly by 'the king of the coalfields', Robert Thompson, The Jackal produced a stunning finish to ? length win over Sir Covet ($51), with retiring New Zealand mare Gee I Jane ($10) a short-head away third. The Jackal ran 1:08.35, the second fastest time in Ramornie history outside Cangronde's race and track record set in 1996. St Vincent became a professional golfer and teaching pro from the age of 15. "I played and taught golf for 30 years and have held a trainer's licence for about 25 years," he said. Asked what was easier golf or training racehorse St Vincent quipped immediately: "Today training is." St Vincent purchased The Jackal, by American stallion Bite The Bullet out of Positive Surprise, for $20,000 as a yearling. "I had a horse out of the same mare named Collingwood," he recalled. "He showed me a lot but was by a staying sire. When the mare was put to a sprinting sire for the first time, I thought I'd take a chance with him. "Luck was on my side that day. We've all been there. "To me The Jackal is the complete athlete. He's still on an upward trend. "Every time you turn him out he comes back and gets better. As a young horse he was backward and clumsy but I honestly believe the horse will get to a Group One somewhere. After all he's only a four-year-old. With the right jockey and on top of the ground he's a darn good sprinter." The Jackal has now won in excess of $620,000 in prizemoney. Yesterday was the gelding's ninth win in 29 starts. As a three-year-old The Jackal was sold to overseas interest for $500,000 but a minor veterinary problem saw the sale fall through. St Vincent then vowed to win the money at home. The Jackal will now spell until October, St Vincent eyeing the autumn carnival in Melbourne.

Originally published as Thompson shines on The Jackal