The horse who used to love going backwards is now going forwards at a rapid rate of knots.
Jaccka Justy produced an astonishing run at Addington yesterday to win New Zealand trotting's most prestigious race, the Dominion Handicap.
The 8yr-old showed enough finishing fifth in the group 1 trotting free-for-all on Tuesday to suggest he would be a threat in yesterday's 3200m feature, but punters ignored the run to send him out at a quote of nearly $30.
But co-trainer and driver Jonny Cox knew with 500m to go he was a great chance to claim the great race, even if he had some concerns niggling away at the back of his mind.
"We got a perfect run into it following Dr Hook, but he's never really backed up from three days apart and you never really know how he's going to finish on,'' Cox said.
''He really let down and he's probably finished off better than the other day.''
It is the first win for an Otago-trained horse in the 3200m classic since the North Otago-trained Springbank Richard won in 2009, and you have to go back another 36 years for Philemon's win for North Otago trainer George Taverner in 1973.
But Jaccka Justy is lucky to even still be competing at the top level after he behaved badly enough to get sacked by one trainer three years ago.
Even when he returned to the Riversdale property of owners Charlie and Ailsa Smaill, he still had a mind of his own.
''It brings back memories when we used to work him at home and if you stopped him or even paused him, you were 20m backwards in the cart - he was an expert,'' Charlie Smaill said.
''So I got him in a 50-acre [20ha] paddock and thought if you want to go back, we'll go back. So we went back and back and back until he got sick of it.
''He's got a long history this horse. He's been a bit of a rogue, but he's a gentleman when he decides to be.''
His good side was on display yesterday, and Cox reckons the son of Continentalman had no big-race nerves.
''Today he was a completely relaxed horse - he was probably more relaxed than I was, which was a good thing.
''Him being relaxed made me a bit more relaxed. We got a good walk in at the start and we got away.''
Hoffman was back home in Dunedin, but Cox said his training partner deserved plenty of credit.
''She'll be hating it, back home - it's just part of it I suppose - but she'd very much love to be here, I'm sure.''
A salute 75m before the line helped Cox let out a lot of emotion as he finally followed in his family's footsteps.
''Granddad [Harry] had a good horse Poupette who won an Interdominion, Dad [John] had David Moss and I've always been waiting for my one so this one might be it,'' he said.
''It doesn't happen very often so you've got to make the most of it. I heard something coming, but we were close enough to the finish line so I was hoping it wouldn't matter. It's just the buzz you get out of it.''
Charlie Smaill was still trying to take in the win 45 minutes after the race.
''It's just one of those things that you dream about for a lot of years,'' Smaill said.
''I've looked out there and seen a lot of people on that stage. And I've been out there for Sires' Stakes and thought it's great, but we'll never make it here.
''I'm dumbfounded it's happened to us.''
Cox was thankful for the support of one of his rivals in yesterday's race, Mark Jones, who had no luck with Master Lavros breaking with two laps to go.
''They always look after us when we come up here.''
Cox was still shaking after the race, and hadn't thought too far ahead, but some grass-track targets might be next for Jaccka Justy.
