Geisel Park in the groove with Elvis & Jigsaw

Saturday, 31 December 2022 | All American millionaire Looks Like Elvis can complete a black-type winning week for Geisel Park in the LR Chester Manifold Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on New Year’s Day.

Sydney-based Looks Like Elvis revels on the road and trainer Jarrod Austin is quietly confident he can improve on a good second behind Lighthouse (USA) in the 2022 edition of the Listed event at Headquarters.

All American’s Geisel Park barn-mate Manhattan Rain sired Jigsaw (pictured) to complete a hat-trick the LR Christmas Stakes (1100m) at Sandown Hillside on Boxing Day.  It followed wins in the $175,000 Apache Cat Classic (1000m) at Cranbourne and LR Doveton Stakes at Caulfield last month.

“He was under siege a long way out and I was surprised how he kept finding and finding,” trainer Cindy Alderson said.  “He won by a comfortable margin in the end and it was a lovely ride by Danny Moor.

“Jigsaw is at the top of his game since being gelded.  He likes to race fresh and this win was off five-week break.”

Jigsaw was bred by Cindy’s mother Lynn Alderson and will now embark on a Group 1 prep towards the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) on February 25 at Sandown.  “I would be happier if the Oakleigh Plate was at Caulfield,” she said.  “But it’s not, so we came here to have a look and he got the job done.”

The Christmas Stakes sent his career-card to 7 wins in 17 starts for earnings of $640,000.

Meanwhile, Looks Like Elvis races second-up in the Chester Manifold on Sunday after a similar trip south earlier this month when placed in the $175,000 VOBIS Gold Bullion at Pakenham.

“If it works, why change it?” Austin replied when asked about widely-travelled Looks Like Elvis who has won 10 races for prizemoney of $1,005,210.  “He’s one of those horses that lives to race.  He loves being in work and going out every day.

“His last few of preps have been fruitful for us and we’ve tried to stick to what we know and where he will be most effective.  We’re only a small stable so you have to make it count.  We’ve done a decent job at that with him over the past couple of seasons.

“He’s a sound, happy and confident horse.  And he knows he’s top of the tree around the stable.  He’s as honest as they come and his record shows he can mix it with the best of them.

“He’s just as good going the Sydney way of going but needs a big track and a firm deck to do his best.  Flemington and Pakenham fit that bill down in Melbourne.”

All American (Red Ransom) retired to Arrowfield Stud before transferring to Eddie Rigg’s Geisel Park as did Manhattan Rain (Encosta de Lago) who has just completed his first season at Myalup.