Cranbourne trainer Cindy Alderson still has to pinch herself with the run of success Jigsaw went on last season.
Seven wins from eight starts, including two Group 1’s and victory in The Quokka in Perth, has Alderson wondering whether it was all a dream.
The reality is, it was not, and Jigsaw is back at the races on Saturday to contest the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
Jigsaw started his amazing run with success at Cranbourne, ironically on October 10, progressing to a Group 2 win at Moonee Valley and then to The Meteorite at Cranbourne last November.
Travel took Jigsaw to New Zealand for Group 1 success at Ellerslie in January before he returned with two wins at Caulfield, including another Group 1, and finally to Perth for The Quokka in April.
“I can’t quite believe it, but it was a lovely place to be,” Alderson said.
“He’s brought me a lot of pleasure and everyone in our stable has had a lot of fun out of him, and he’s certainly given Logan (Bates) the ride of a lifetime.
“He’s a funny little horse. He’s always been a little bit quirky, but if he gets his confidence up, which he seems to have at the moment, and he has confidence in the rider, and Logan has confidence in him, I think it’s a great partnership.”
Alderson was loathe to say which of the wins was her favourite Jigsaw moment as they were all special in their own way.
“Every race was good for different reasons,” Alderson said.
“Winning the Meteorite at home, fighting back to win the William Reid was pretty amazing.
“When he went to the Quokka, he had had a few races and he was over eager.
“He worked really fast on the Tuesday morning, probably too fast, and I thought he was going to be vulnerable.
“To see him overcome a slow start for him, and some rivalry from Tommy Berry’s riding, and still hang on and win the race, I thought was a really courageous win.
“For a lot of different reasons, they were all remarkable wins, and that was the beauty and the joy of the campaign.”
A gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday gives Alderson confidence Jigsaw is going as well as ever.
Now an eight-year-old, Alderson wants to see how Jigsaw comes back to racing, but she has not ruled out again travelling.
The Meteorite, on her home track, has not been ruled out, and even an earlier Perth trip for the Winterbottom Stakes could be on the agenda.
“I’ll take it race by race with him, just as I have in the past,” Alderson said.
“If he comes up as well as we expect, there’s options to go back to the Meteorite, even go back to Perth for the Winterbottom.
“He might have to go down the Flemington straight at some stage as a gap filler.
“He’s only had two runs down the straight, but I don’t think the straight is 100 per cent suitable for him.
“It’s still a nice track to race on and being a bit older, he might handle it better now.”
