King Jester in hunt for fourth straight North Queensland victory

Image credit: Peter Roy Photography

By Jordan Gerrans

With a mooted trip to the Gold Coast off the agenda, Cairns trainer Rodney Miller is keen to grab a fourth victory on the trot with promising three-year-old King Jester before his well-earnt spell.

The son of Hallowed Crown was a QTIS Jewel qualifier from FNQ last month but with the gelding deep into his preparation and the extreme heat Cairns has received of late, Miller has decided to keep his promising youngster at home.

The former jockey believes there is one more triumph in King Jester this time in at Townsville’s Cluden Park on Friday afternoon in a QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap over 1200 metres.

Hard-working apprentice hoop Marnu Potgieter has developed a close bond with the bay, being on-board in each of his four career wins.

The 29-year-old hoop will not ride on the Townsville card this Friday with the booking of King Jester going to Group 1-winning jockey Ryan Wiggins, who has also had success with the Miller barn in recent years.

“I reckon he can win again on Friday but I keep thinking he is ready to go to the paddock but Marnu reckons he just keeps improving,” Miller said.

“He is four from seven and he probably should have won a couple more, he was unlucky in those that he did not win. 

“He is only tiny, little framed horse but he just keeps improving. He is a good little horse.”

Despite Miller thinking King Jester is almost ready for a break in the spelling paddock, he noted the gelding ate up well on Tuesday morning following his work at Cannon Park.

At 66 years of age, Miller is yet to ever start one of his gallopers in the Brisbane or Gold Coast areas and was looking forward to heading to South East Queensland following the Cannon Park Jewel qualifier.

With Tuesday’s Cairns Jockey Club race day transferred to next Monday, the heat in FNQ played a part in the decision to not make the long journey to Aquis Park.

“I was going to take him down to the Gold Coast but he might just be ready for a spell,” Miller said.

“He is only a real light horse.

“Marnu is filthy because he thinks he would be a real, genuine rough chance in a race like that.

“It has been that hot up here in the north, I do not think he would do well with the travel to the Gold Coast.

“He has just had too many runs into this prep to go to a race like that.”

Potgieter loves being legged aboard Miller-trained gallopers, collecting eight victories for the yard across his career, the most winners he has ridden for any stable in Australia.

“He is a champion bloke,” Miller said of Potgieter.

Miller’s apprentice hoop and track work rider – Scott Gittos – was set to take King Jester down to the Gold Coast if he was to contest the $500,000 Jewel next weekend.

With the 2022 3YO Jewel no longer a part of the stable’s plans, Miller is likely to now turn his attention to the Northern Jewel Classic 3YO Handicap over 1300 metres.

The Northern Jewel Classic is worth $105,000 plus QTIS bonuses and will be run at Townsville on Friday, May 20, with the race restricted to QTIS-registered horses only.

This race is rotated between the four northern clubs – Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns.

The trainer expects King Jester to thrive out to 1300 metres and beyond, having won up to 1250 metres earlier this preparation.

Miller also has high hopes for stable-mate and fellow three-year-old Santa Marinella, who he believes will also get out to a trip as he progresses.