17 May 2021 | Ashleigh Paikos
The Dennis Russell prepared Stirup Iron Jack broke through for his maiden win on Friday night in Bunbury at his first start after what can only be described as a display of dedication by his trainer. After starting from barrier five, he was launched to the front and led all the way to win the last race on the card by 3.8m in 1:57:9.
At six-years-old, the west bred gelding qualified to race just three weeks ago after a very gruelling couple of years for his connections.
“It was mainly his temperament that held him back, at times he was uncontrollable. He’s a horse that’s got a mind of his own, if he wanted to wreck something, he would just wreck it. He’s just got his way.” Russell said
The unruly gelding has been in and out of work over the past two years since Russell acquired him; Stirup Iron Jack had already been through two stables in his early years and it was by chance that Dennis Russell was offered the horse.
“He (Stirup Iron Jack) came from Ryan Bell. Ryan had sent him down to his dad Peter Bell who had his horses’ stabled at my uncle’s place in Dumbarton (Busselton). Peter had given my uncle Ken (Bell) a half share in the horse for the use of his stables and then Peter decided to get out of the game and sell everything, so he gave the horse to Ken.”
With the declining health of Ken’s wife, Ken asked Dennis ‘Do you want him’ and the troublesome horse has been with the Russell family ever since.
“It was a big experience for him last night. Even though we have been taking him to Dumbarton track. You get him on the track, and he is ok if you keep him moving but if you slow up, he just loses it.”
“He was good last night, it surprised us all. He had got to the stage where he was just too dangerous to take anywhere. Last night he was good in the stalls, he had been a handful there in the past, he chucks himself around all the time, he just about wrecked the Pinjarra stalls when I took him up there to qualify behind the mobile.” He said.
Russell’s son Hedley was a large part of the training of Stirup Iron Jack, but sadly last year Hedley passed away from Cancer.
“Hedley used to spend a lot of time with him and trying to sort him out. He had more patience than me actually, but sadly Hedley passed away last year, and I’m left with it,”
“Last night was make or break, we had to start sooner or later and see how he goes, and I was just hoping he would behave himself.” Russell said.
Hedley was a licenced reinsman in WA from 1995 until 2020 and in that time, he drove in a total of 215 races for 12 wins and 42 placings, for total stakes of $62,033.
Stirup Iron Jack was named after an old legend; Russells distant relative Jack Henderscin, a prospector from Port Hedland who was largely known around town as Stirup Iron Jack
Ashleigh Paikos
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