Jacobsen hungry for Easter egg heist

By Isaac Murphy

Since December, Robert Jacobsen’s Crazy Cool has contested five Group finals, highlighted by her most recent win in the Group 2 Richmond Oaks.

And, kennel mate Rowdy Roddy has also been on the doorstep with two Group final births.

Jacobsen is grateful for his gun duo and knows they’re capable of even more, hence their nominations for Saturday night’s Group 1 Golden Easter Egg heats.

That is where the trainer hopes the pair can continue to enhance their reputations, starting with Crazy Cool (pictured).

“We’ll take any little advantage we can get going into an Easter Egg heat and she’s won four from four from box three including the Richmond Oaks and Golden Ticket, I’d love to make it five,” Jacobsen said of Crazy Cool’s draw.

“The hardest thing in her heat is going to be responding to Barcia Blue Boy’s speed in box two, she’s not used to being led early and if he does beat her to the first corner, she’s going to have to find her way to the rail because she doesn’t like going around dogs.

“I’d love her to get an uncontested lead like she got in the Oaks and it is possible if she pings, but it’s not race over if she gets a trail, she’ll be hitting the line as hard as any of them after winning over the 535m.”

Despite months of hard racing Crazy Cool continues to show the hunger to compete with Jacobsen assured she’ll be ready come race time.

“She came straight back home after her Oaks win a fortnight ago and we just wanted to freshen her up, so she’s had one free gallop and a straight track run and that’s all she needs heading into Saturday,” he said.

“We’ve got to work out exact plans of where she’s going to stay when we get down there whether I find a place for a few nights or we find a trainer who’ll put us up for the weekend, but I want to get her there a couple of days before the run.

“It’s been a long campaign starting with our summer carnival, we struck out in the Australian Cup, but bounced back at Richmond, it’s amazing she’s still jumping out of her skin to race, whatever we decide to do she’ll handle it.”

Amongst those Group finals, Jacobsen has had his fair share of near misses and was soaking it all up when Crazy Cool took down a stellar Richmond Oaks field.

“As thrilling as it was to see her win the Golden Ticket and finish behind Shima Shine in the Gold Bullion, winning the Richmond Oaks definitely trumps it, she’s taken down the best bitches in the country,” he said.

“It’s one of those time-honoured races every trainer wants to win, it’s been around for years and it might not have the prize money of some other Group races but there’s not many that are more prestigious.

“That’s a handful of Group finals she’s been in now and to see her give them a bit of a touch up was pretty special to know she’d finally made it to the heights she was capable of, but let’s hope we can go one better and win a Golden Easter Egg.”

Rowdy Roddy is the quiet achiever of the Jacobsen kennel and he may not have the outright brilliance of Crazy Cool, but has the runs on the board at Wentworth Park.

“We were back and forth on whether we’d bring Rowdy Roddy (pictured) down, but in the end his track and trip record winning his heat there in 29.8 and running third in a National Derby final locked him in,” Jacobsen said.

“He’s never had box one before in his career and what a time to come up with it in his heat, if he can run 5.5 early like he did first up here from the inside he’s going to be right up with the leaders, and we know he’s strong.

“I think a series like this will really suit him if he can get through to next weeks semi-finals, he’s a dog who’s only won three races, so if he can run a couple of placings and find a way into the final, he might just produce a gem.”

The dogs record might no be flattering on paper, but Jacobsen has never shied away from a challenge.

“He’s a dog you’re just waiting to pick off that big race with, he almost broke the 395m track record on Albion Park on debut and has basically been in Group and Open Company since,” he said.

“We’ve thrown him in the deep end, and he’s shown us enough to say that he’ll make the grade one day when it all clicks for him.”

“If he doesn’t get through on Saturday night, they have the heats of the New Sensation on Wednesday which he’s eligible for, so he’ll slot into that.”