December 16,
2017 854 854 
A masterful ride by Piere Strydom saw the talented Kangaroo Jack back in the winners box. “KJ” has been a bit unlucky in recent starts and there were excuses for his below par runs. However Tuesday night 12 December 2017 at Turffontein, Piere Strydom got the best out of “KJ” to win a competitive Pinnacle 1160m. It may pay to follow this son of Querari this season. Congratulations to owner Joyce Wallace and her family!
January 15,
2017 1024 1024
Kangaroo Jack made it seven wins out of twelve starts at Turffontein over 1400m on Saturday 14 January 2017. Leading Jockey Andrew Fortune had “KJ” just off the pace, but once in the straight “KJ” made up ground quickly and hit the front to win comfortably under a confident ride. Congratulations to owner Joyce Wallace and her family!
October 10,
2016 1524 1524
Kangaroo Jack made light work of a quality field in the Spring Challenge(Gr2) over 1450m at Turffontein on Saturday 08 October 2016. Leading Jockey Andrew Fortune had “KJ” in the box seat soon after the start, stable mate Champagne Haze led the field into the straight and kicked about a length clear of “KJ” at about the 400m mark, but when pressed for an effort by Fortune “KJ” cruised into the lead effortlessly and was geared down before the line to win comfortably by 2 lengths. Champagne Haze tired the final 150m but finished a good 4th in his prep run for the Charity Mile. Congratulations to owner Joyce Wallace and her family!
September 5,
2016 1121 1121
Kangaroo Jack won his second Graded race in a row when easily accounting for a competitive field in the Spring Spree Stakes (GR3) over 1200m at Turffontein on 3rd September 2016. Top Jockey Andrew Fortune got him well placed from an outside draw and had the front runners in his sights, when he asked “KJ” for an effort he accelerated smartly to win a good contest. Congratulations to owner Mrs Joyce Wallace and her family!
June 21,
2016 1128 1128
Joyce Wallace’s home-bred Kangaroo Jack came home alone in Friday’s R400,000 Gr2 by 3.75 lengths beating a quality field and keeping his sire Querari in the lead of the 2nd crop sire log by AEPR, % winners, number of stakes winners and number of stakes races won as well as by % stakes winners – see stats table below.
Querari had scored his 7th juvenile winner in the 1st race at Scottsville on Sunday keeping himself well in the lead of the 2nd crop sire log of 2yo’s in all of the categories – way ahead of his rivals. The Duncan Howell’s trained Gingerbread Man atoned this time over 1000m for failing to score over 1400m last time out. He was previously placed 2nd and 3rd over 1000m.
Cape Breeders report: “Trained by Gary Alexander, Kangaroo Jack turned the Gr2 Merchants into a one horse race, as the 3yo gelding pulled clear to account for former Gr1 Mercury Sprint winner Fly By Night by nearly four lengths with Asstar back in third ahead of the promising Ferrie back in fourth. Ridden by Craig Zackey, Kangaroo Jack stopped the clock in a time of 69.78. Kangaroo Jack, who had won his last race under the welter weight of 64.5 kgs, has now won his last three in a row, and four of just eight starts in all.
Out of the stakes winning Model Man mare Rainbow Flag, Kangaroo Jack has now won R474 525. He is the third stakes winner to have emerged from former Gr1 winner Querari, whose first crop also includes Gr2 The Debutante winner Cosmic Light and Listed East Cape Oaks winner Solana. The latter could give Querari another notable win as she lines up in the Listed Winter Oaks at Kenilworth this Saturday.
Querari’s second crop, now two, also looks hugely promising –and already includes three black type performers.
By the same sire (Oasis Dream) as Showcasing (sire of last week’s Gr1 Commonwealth Cup winner Quiet Reflection), Querari has six lots on sale at the upcoming Sibaya KZN Yearling Sale
June 20,
2016 1162 1162
Jack Of All Raids
Kangaroo Jack signals his arrival with facile Gr2 victory
The Gary Alexander Racing Team pulled an ace out of their sleeve in a lightning SA Champions Season raid at Greyville on Friday evening. The Querari gelding Kangaroo Jack spreadeagled a quality field to register a sparking win in the R400 000 Gr2 Post Merchants and is likely to only be seen in action again next season.
Dean Alexander – saddled the winnerDean Alexander, who was on duty for the Gary Alexander Racing Team, confirmed in an interview with the Sporting Post after the race that Kangaroo Jack had likely had his last race as a 3yo:
“We will take him home now, and do the housekeeping and give him a break,” he said.
Asked where they had found this promising sprinter, he was happy to recount that a phone call from owner Mrs Joyce Wallace had come ‘out of the blue’.
“Mrs Wallace literally rang Gary (Alexander) up and asked us to train Kangaroo Jack! We are so thrilled to have been able to provide her with this lovely win – he looks to have a nice career ahead of him,” he said.
So a superb evening all round for the Alexanders, the emerging star Querari and his talented son, who shares his name with a movie of a few years ago – who regrettably didn’t attract the same kind of reviews!
Read what Oscar Foulkes said about Querari recently.
Twelve sprinters lined up to contest the 1200m feature and with big names like Red Ray and the highly vaunted Buckland dominating the betting boards, the lightly raced and very progressive 3yo Kangaroo Jack arrived hardly unnoticed and was easy to back at 14-1 as he went to post under the radar.
Kangaroo Jack and Craig Zackey streak clearWith Asstar slow off, Buckland was out quickly and led London Call and Aurum Pot, with the pacy Ferrie in touch and Captain Alfredo stalking them.
Into the run for home, they drifted to the outside rail, as Buckland continued to lead with Craig Zackey looking for gaps, as Kangaroo Jack launched from near last.
Querari during his racing careerWith Kangaroo Jack eating up the ground down the inside, there was some scrimmaging towards the outside with Grant van Niekerk cutting across as London Call hung on to Captain Alfredo, and Red Ray finding his path blocked.
With Fly By Night and Asstar finishing best, the bird had flown and Kangaroo Jack was gearing down at the line to score by a lengthening 3,75 lengths in a time of 69,78 secs.
Fly By Night made up plenty of ground in the final 200m to run a gutsy second, while Asstar appears to be relishing the KZN climate and ran another top-class race for third, after winning his opening start in the province.
After causing some minor havoc late in the race, the 3-1 Ferrie hung on for fourth.
The classy 5-2 favourite Red Ray appeared to check halfway down the straight and fell away to run over 8 lengths off the winner.
Craig Zackey – confident ride on a progressive young sprinterWinning jockey Craig Zackey, who had been briefed by the tactical master Andrew Fortune, had time to glance at the big screen a good few times in the final 200m.
He said that he was hardly surprised with the smooth win after his mount had put up ‘unbelievable work.’
“He really worked so well last week. My only concern was his draw. But the pace was on and like a true professional he had a breather on the bend and then turned it on in the straight.”
An elated Dean Alexander confirmed that Kangaroo Jack was getting stronger.
“We had to take our chances with one of these features on his merit rating. He is a really straightforward horse and we are excited about him.”
Kangaroo Jack has been a model of consistency and has now won 4 races with 3 places from his 8 starts – he took his earnings to R474 525. He is a tough character – proven by the fact that he won his previous start in an MR 80 Handicap carrying a massive 64,5kgs!
As mentioned, he is raced by Mrs Joyce Wallace and was bred by her late husband.
A second Gr2 winner for Maine Chance stallion Querari, Kangarooo Jack is out of the versatile five-time winning Model Man mare Rainbow Flag, who was bred by Swynford Paddocks (Pty) Ltd and also raced in the Joyce Wallace silks.
May 9,
2016 1169 1169
Kangaroo Jack defied the handicapper on Saturday, 07 May 2016 at Turffontein, shouldering 64,5Kg he still managed to get up and beat Danza(55.5Kg) in the run to the wire. Another brilliant display of riding by top jockey Andrew Fortune, as he nursed the top weight to victory. This was a big test for Kangaroo Jack and after this win he will now be aimed for bigger things in the future. Congratulations to owner Mrs Joyce Wallace!
March 23,
2016 1277 1277
Kangaroo Jack reverted back to his winning distance of 1200m at Turffontein on Tuesday 22 March 2016. He showed his opposition a clean pair of heels to win going away by over three lengths. Jockey Anton Marcus rode a copybook race, he had him well placed soon after the start and was always travelling well thereafter. Marcus asked for an effort about 450m out and KJ responded instantaneously and kept lengthening his stride to win well. Congratulations to owner Mrs Joyce Wallace.
