What is the spring plan for Jimmysstar?

By Connor Scanlon

Jimmysstar was the favourite for the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 13 at Eagle Farm despite being winless from five starts this preparation.

However, the Ciaron Maher-trained gelding’s owner Ozzie Kheir confirmed on SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up that the son of Per Incanto will not be continuing his autumn campaign and will instead prepare for the upcoming Spring Racing Carnival.

“Unfortunately, it's probably not the news you want to hear. We're going to give him a spell and just target towards the spring,” confirmed Kheir.

“It was a tough decision, to be honest. The best option for the horse is to just give him that break and get him ready for the spring targets.

“If we give him a break now, he'll get a good three weeks in the sun in Queensland, and then we'll be able to prep him up, get him ready for the spring, and he'll be able to run through to hopefully to the last day of the spring carnival.”

Regarding the chestnut’s spring plans, the owner revealed that Jimmysstar’s first-up run will most likely be the Group 1 Memsie Stakes across 1400m.

After that resuming run, he will target either the $20 million Everest (1200m) or a mile-racing campaign with a Group 1 King Charles or Group 1 Makybe Diva in mind.

“At this stage, we've got a first-up run in mind, which is probably going to be a Memsie,” revealed Kheir.

“I think our first-up run is probably locked away, hence why we decided that this break is needed now because to get to the Memsie we probably need about a three week break and then his training schedule.

“From there, (we can go) from a Memsie into an Everest, like a freshen-up into an Everest.

“Or we can stretch him out further and maybe look towards a Makybe Diva or towards a King Charles.”

If Jimmysstar opts to run in The Everest, he is currently $15 with Sportsbet, while he is $11 to take out the King Charles.

Markets for the Memsie and Makybe Diva are not yet available.