Hard work paying off for Jack Bruce

By Glenn Davis

Deagon’s Jack Bruce is pleasantly surprised with his great start to his training career and will attempt to break into the top 10 in the Queensland Metropolitan Trainer’s Premiership at Ipswich on Wednesday.

Bruce currently has 13 city wins to be equal 10th with Eagle Farm trainer Kelly Schweida in the battle for Brisbane’s training honors but is 11th on placings.

With a winning strike rate of 18.1 per cent, only Tony Gollan has a better strike rate in the top 10 with 20.5 per cent.

Bruce has only been training for 11 months and landed his first city winner with Barade at Doomben in July last year.

His stable has grown to 44 including 20 based at a satellite stable on the Sunshine Coast as well as 24 at Deagon.

“I’ve only been training for 11 months, and the way the stable is going has been a surprise as it’s always difficult for a trainer or a jockey to break in when they first start off,” Bruce said.

“I’ve been lucky as I try to keep ahead of the curve and when I opened the satellite stable, I had four horses there on the first day.”

Bruce came through the prestigious Godolphin Flying Start program and served his “apprenticeship” working for some of the nation’s biggest stables.

He spent seven years with Bjorn Baker and Chris Waller in Sydney before a stint with the training partnership of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.

Bruce heads to Ipswich with three starters and is hopeful he can break into the top 10 for the first time.

Bruce is confident Galifianakis can stretch his winning sequence to four in the Benchmark 65 Handicap over 2210 metres, while Ocean Emperor has strong claims in Class Four Handicap over 1350 metres.

His other runner - Guru Class – resumes in the QTIS Three Fillies Maiden Handicap over 1200 metres.

Galifianakis has won his last three including a last start win for Ben Thompson in a Benchmark race over 2170 metres at Ipswich on March 23.

“He’s been a model of consistency and it’s always hard to win three in a row anywhere, let alone four,” Bruce said.

“The plan will be to roll forward as usual and utilise Angela Jones' claim.

“It’s nice he keeps finding a way to win.”

Bruce said on paper Ocean Emperor looks his best chance and is hoping a change of gear will see him break through.

The five-year-old has finished second in three of his past four starts including his latest run when edged out in a 1350 metre Class Four at Ipswich on March 17.

“He’s been lacking a killer punch so I’m taking the blinkers off him,” he said.

“He seems to float in front and has loomed up to win a number of times in his career so hopefully with the blinkers off he can take a sit.

“I want to see him attack the line more.”