Raced at age two under trainer Stephen Quirke, son of Irish champion jockey, Martin Quirke,[1] Jack Ketch won the Maher Nursery Handicap.
At age three, the colt won three important Irish races including the Classic 2,000 Guineas.
In 1958, Jack Ketch was sold to American Allie E. Reuben who raced under the name of Hasty House Farm.
Racing Hall of Fame trainer, Harry Trotsek, he made his American debut on 14 July 1958 at Chicago's Arlington Park with a win on turf in the Morton Grove Purse.
[2] Jack Ketch would not win another significant race until 25 October 1958 when he won the Canadian Championship Stakes with his Hasty House Farm stablemate Mahan finishing second.