Promising Jet Set for Cluden Test

A keen eye for a bargain and faith in a freshman sire may have unearthed another smart galloper for Townsville trainer Jeff Caught.

Caught will put untapped four-year-old Foneeleven (pronounced F1-11 after the fighter jet) to the test at Cluden Park on Tuesday after a recent runaway win on debut at Bowen.

Aptly named “Jet” at the stables, the late maturing gelding is by in-demand sire Tassort but cost Caught and his partner Stacey Metcalf just $2000 as an untried two-year-old in an on-line auction in late 2023.

Two years later, Foneeleven posted a strong barrier trial win at Cluden before racing to a 5 3/4 length win in a Bowen maiden at his first race start in August.

Caught, who trained successfully in Brisbane, shaped the early career of recent Ipswich cup winner  Flash Aah, and won the 2021 Townsville Cup with Fortification, is not getting carried away with Foneeleven just yet.

But he expects Foneeleven to acquit himself well in the small field in Tuesday’s much harder Great Northern Brewing Co. 3/4YO Hcp (1200m).

“The small field will suit him, but the main thing against him is the lack of race experience,” Caught said.

“Obviously Time To Prophet ran fourth in a Cairns Lightning two back and will be tough to beat. Some of the others have just turned three and will be up against older horses for the first time. 

“It’s a much harder race but from what he’s shown us I expect him to be competitive.

“I had wanted to start him in the maiden on Cup Day but he drew 16 alley so I scratched him. I thought little fish are sweet so I’ll just take him to Bowen.

“It worked out well for him, just having the trip away and a quieter experience down there.

“He didn’t beat much, and I wouldn’t get too excited about it but the way he did it was pretty good.

“The 1000m may be too short, probably the 1200m would be better for him because he’s not a small horse and it takes him a little while to get going.

“But this week there should be a bit of speed so hopefully he’ll be just behind them and then get clear running in the straight.”

Caught has been a big fan of young sire Tassort from his first season crop and has watched with interest as his progeny have continued to rack up wins around Australia.

Demand for his yearlings has now skyrocketed but at the time Caught bought Foneeleven the stallion’s progeny were just starting to hit their straps and were affordable.

“I bought him in November 2023. The fellow who had him couldn’t afford to keep him. He had two horses and needed to sell one. This guy had to have a bit of time because he had a cyst on a hind fetlock joint so he said he couldn’t syndicate him and put him on line.

“In the October auction he didn’t get a bid. Stacey and I bought him in the November auction for $2000.

“I spell all of mine at Clear Mountain and he went there for six months and we brought him up last year for a prep and a trial and then sent him back down to give him more time.

“This is only his second prep and he’s just turned four.

“We took a punt with him that the leg would come right and given plenty of time it’s all good now.

“With Tassort you only have to look at the record of his progeny. There are a lot that go very good.

“There was a Tassort that won the first three two-year-old races in West Australia and Clinton Taylor has one that won a few and is pretty good.

“That’s what drew me to them and I saw this guy on line and I thought I’d check him out.

“He’s from the first crop of Tassorts and I bought another one that won a trial the other day at Doomben, Exceedingly Brazen so I was lucky to get him too.

“I couldn’t afford a Tassort now. They’re going for big money, $200,000 or $300,000 at the yearling sales now because they’re going so well.”

Caught is one of the latest trainers to take up barns at the Cluden Park training complex and has six horses in work.

He’s been gradually rebuilding his team and has re-established the old historic sand work track on “Pig Hill” at Cluden with tie-ups, a wash down bay and a freshen-up paddock.

While it’s early days with Foneeleven, the future of stable veteran He’s Exceptional will be nearing D-Day when he tackles the Tambo’s Justice Horse of the Year Open Hcp (1200m).

Caught is hoping the veteran sprinter can turnaround disappointing runs at his past two starts and recapture the form that took him to a narrow second in the Cairns Newmarket last year.

The Townsville Turf Club  celebrated the 2024/25 racing season with an awards dinner on Sunday and Tuesday’s meeting includes races recognising premier jockey Ryan Wiggins, leading trainer Stephen Massingham, Horse of the Year Tambo’s Justice and leading apprentice Gabby Semmens.