“Never looked better”: Jigsaw primed for overseas Group 1

By Connor Scanlon

The Cranbourne-based Jigsaw has travelled overseas to New Zealand for the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1200m) on Saturday.

The sprint is worth $240,000 and will take place at Ellerslie Racecourse, with Alabama Lass being the current $2.90 favourite with Sportsbet.

The Cindy Alderson-trained Jigsaw is looking past Alabama Lass for the victory though off the back of excellent Australian form.

After not winning a race since 2023, the seven-year-old has gone bang this season, claiming victory in each of his last three runs.

Now, the gelding is searching for his fourth straight victory and Alderson believes the brown has “never looked better” ahead of his overseas Group 1.

“He’s in great order - he's come over here, travelled very well,” Alderson told SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up.

“Physically he's never looked better.

“When he’s in the zone and he feels that he is invincible, he races to that. That’s the way he’s feeling at the moment.

“Even here at Byerley Park, he’s strutting around the place like he’s the man.”

Aboard Jigsaw will be the New Zealand-born jockey Logan Bates.

Alderson revealed that Bates is confident Jigsaw’s barrier (10) will put him in perfect stead to stalk the favourite Alabama Lass, giving him a great chance to take out the Group 1.

“He seems pretty confident that the horse will flow across from that barrier and probably sit outside Alabama Lass,” Alderson said about Bates.

“But he thought the horse felt amazing on the track on Tuesday.

“And the other thing is that he (Jigsaw) does appear to be enjoying going right-handed, which is another bonus.”

The Group 1 Railway Stakes will be run at 5:29pm AEDT on Saturday.