ARANNALEA CLEARS OUT AT TIMARU
Timaru co-owned squaregaiter Arannalea made a stunning return to racing in the hands of trainer Mark Jones at the Phar Lap Raceway on Friday, January 6, 2016.
The former promising 2YO trot filly made a mess of her maiden rivals in the Equine Veterinary Services Trot.
Arannalea, in full flight at Timaru on January 6, for Overport Lodge trainer, Mark Jones (Race Images photo).
First-up for 11 months and without the benefit of a lead-up trial, she put in one nervous step at the start but soon had the front for Mark.
She was revelling in her work for much of the stand start 2600m trot.
Arannalea spreadeagled the field early in the run home, clearing out to win by 5 1/2 lengths from outsiders, Red Hot Poker and Abby’s Delight, in 3:28.8.
“I’d been happy with her work even though she hadn’t had a trial,” said Mark.
Arranalea, by Pegasus Spur, won two minor 2YO trots and ran third behind High Gait and Missandei in the Group Two Lone Star Riccarton Sires Stakes 2YO Trotters Championship at Addington.
She also ran fifth behind High Gait, Wilma’s Mate, Conon Bridge and Missandei in the NZ 2YO Trotting Stakes, but mixed her gait in the run home in Missandei’s 2YO Harness Jewels at Ashburton.
Taken to Auckland in search of a maiden trot win last term, she managed a second and a third from six starts, then was spelled last February.
She is raced by Timaru accountant Graham Stoddart, along with “Beer” McCutheon, Kevin Schmack, P Darby, “Bub” Phillips and “Pup” Hulston.
The owners also raced her older half-brother Beau Brummell, a former 2YO NZ trot record holder for the Overport Lodge team, who went on to win 10 races and $83,769 in Australia.
Another half-sister in Debaneyre has won twice for the Mike Austin stable.
Arannalea, Beau Brummell and Debaneyre are from Lady Boo Kay, a Sundon mare from good trot mare Zola’s Pride (eight wins from 67 starts for $60,660 when trained by Dick Prendergast and the runnerup to Tobago in the 1990 Ordeal Trotting Cup at Addington.
In latter years, Lady Boo Kay has left a Majestic Son colt and a Orlando Vici filly for the majority of the Arannalea owners.