After nine consecutive defeats at Group level, Jupiter Gold’s downcast owner Kaz Hosaka told trainer Hideyuki Takaoka it was maybe time to change tack.
The sight of the former top juvenile slaying his rivals with his trademark turn of foot was a distant memory when he could only finish eighth to Circuit Land at his last stab at Group glory in the Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) on April 27.
The son of Congrats had obviously seen better days. At his first couple of cracks at a feature race when he was three, he actually did very well with a third in the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) and a second in the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m).
Jupiter Gold (Alan Munro) at his last win in an Open Stakes race over 1600m on March 3, 2017, picture Singapore Turf Club
Takaoka then stepped him up in distance, even racing him in the Group 1 Dester Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) last year, but the rig’s form started to taper off, not to mention he was becoming increasingly “coltish” and difficult to train.
Even after the dreaded snip at the end of last year, things still kept going South. The Chairman’s Trophy run was the last straw.
“The owner told me to try and do something different after his last run,” said Takaoka.
“Go for a different distance, drop him back to sprints, different surface as he won his first three races on Polytrack early in his career – and a different jockey.”
Regular partner Alan Munro – who has ridden Jupiter Gold at the last 14 of his 18 starts, including his last four wins, the last of which came on March 3, 2017 in an Open Stakes race over 1600m - is making way for Olivier Placais at Jupiter Gold’s next start in the $125,000 Speedy Cat 2013 Stakes Kranji Stakes A race over 1200m on Polytrack on Sunday.
It is a fact Placais has struck a good partnership with the Japanese trainer this year, having already ridden six of his 13 winners this campaign, the latest coming with Across The Sea last Friday.
But Takaoka was quick to add that he still supported Munro with rides, except that for Jupiter Gold, they were testing out different permutations, including the one who sits atop.
Placais galloped his new Sunday ride on Wednesday morning, jumping off saying that Jupiter Gold worked in a relaxed manner, but still needed a bit of work to steer around.
“He was very relaxed in the first 500m behind the other horse Star Jack. At the 400m, I pulled up alongside easily and he quickened nicely in the last furlong,” said the French jockey.
“His action was nice, very fluid and he was striding out fully. He seems to be in good shape and was pleasant to ride.
“He’s, however, not a horse who is straightforward to ride every day. You need to be on top of him.”
Takaoka said win; lose or draw, he would not change course for Jupiter Gold for the time being, but he might stretch him back to a little more ground later.
“I will probably look for a similar 1200m race on Polytrack for him,” he said.
“Unfortunately, there aren’t any Polytrack sprint features until the end of the year. So we may go for a feature race on turf, like the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy over 1400m in November, which is also a handicap race.”
While Jupiter Gold’s career is being given a reboot, the other “Jupiter” is trying to follow into his hoofsteps in the juvenile series – Jupiter Dragon.
Also by Congrats and raced by Hosaka as well, Jupiter Dragon ran on for fourth to Pennywise in the first Leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series, the Kranji Nursery Stakes (1000m) on May 18.
He skipped the second Leg, the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale Stakes on Sunday, but will be tackling the third Leg, the IRT Juvenile Stakes (1200m) on turf next Friday week.
“Jupiter Dragon ran a good race in the first Leg. He needs more distance,” said Takaoka.
“I will run him in the third Leg. The 1200m will be better for him and hopefully, he makes it for the fifth Leg, the Group 2 race over 1200m.”
Takaoka was referring to the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m) on July 13.
