GLENFERRIE CLASSIC DELIVERS AT SIXTH START
Glenferrie Classic, aided by spreaders in front for a touch more width on the first day of the Marlborough winter meeting at Waterlea, Blenheim, on Friday, June 24, 2016, confirmed the potential she’d shown for trainer Mark Jones.
She delivered with a maiden victory at her sixth start in The Hits & Wairau Covers Maiden Mobile Pace.
Royally-bred Glenferrie Classic (Sam Ottley) scores her maiden victory at Waterlea on Friday. (Race Images photo).
The royally-bred daughter of champion sire Bettor’s Delight and 2005 New Zealand Cup winning mare Mainland Banner (1:55.1, 17 wins from 22 starts & $684,579) had shown she would win races but had made a couple of mistakes in her early racing.
Her confidence continued to shine after a solid second on the second day at Nelson the previous weekend to get the job done at Marlborough.
From the inside draw, driver Sam Ottley let one head her early but was quickly off the trail to take control again with 1800m to run.
She looked to have the race in safe keeping until outsider Stonebridge Cullen made an inside bid but once reminded of her obligations, Glenferrie Classic lifted to come clear again at the finish by a comfortable length.
She rated 2:02.9 for the mobile 2300m, the last 800m in 59.1s.
The half-sister to Harness Jewels 4YO Mares Diamond winner Rocker Band (1:53.3), Peruvian Banner (1:52.4, US), Stunin Banner (1:56.2 mile rate, 2300m), and Return To Sender (1:57.4 mile rate, 2400m), was bred by Peter Chambers of Glenferrie Farm Limited.
However, she became available at two to be sold to other clients of the Mark Jones stable, being secured by Equine Investments Ltd of Christchurch, Matai Farms Ltd of Wyndham, Gavin and Sherryn Saunders (who raced 1989 NZ Cup winner Inky Lord) and Brendan Duffy, of Seaward Downs (near Edendale) in Southland.
Kowhai Monarch and Sam Ottley are too good with an inside run to win the Tyre General Handicap Trot at Waterlea on Friday. (Race Images photo).
Glenferrie Classic steps up to the C1 grade on Sunday, again over 2300m, but is drawn to get her chance from the two gate.
Meanwhile trot stablemate Kowhai Monarch continued his good form with his second win three starts on the Nelson-Marlborough winter circuit.
The Monarchy gelding again stepped well from the 20m line to be fourth on settling improving to three back on the markers into the back the one and only time in the C1 & faster Tyre General Handicap Trot.
Driver Sam Ottley didn’t have to leave the markers in the run home, getting a charmed run through to slip through inside leader Redwood Invasion to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths.
Kowhai Monarch, a half-brother to other useful trot winners in The Drunken Drummer (four NZ wins), McCready (two NZ wins), Kowhai Whiz (eight) and Kowhai Sunrise (three), was notching his fourth win from 23 starts for owners, John and Jill Hartnell.
He goes back another 10m for the second day on Sunday but the step up in distance to 2700m gives him a chance to repeat despite a 30m handicap.
The Overport Lodge team brought up 50 seasonal wins for the sixth time when the consistent Really Desirable (3f Real Desire-Tammy Franco) scored in a C1 pace at Forbury Park on Thursday night with .
She was given the run of the race in the trail by Blair Orange and proved a touch too good for front-running Van Eva in the run home, winning by half a length in a 2:02 rate (2200m) for her second win in 14 starts.
By Jeff Scott