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KIMBERLY WINS WITH HER OWN HORSE

Overport Lodge junior driver Kimberly Butt scored her first win as an owner with Is This Love at Forbury on Thursday, December 19, and notched her first Addington driving victory with Princess Sophia, at Addington on Friday, December 20.

Kimberly, on the suggestion of employer Mark Jones, purchased Is This Love from the estate of former stable client, the late Paul Nixon, in October.

Mr Nixon’s family were looking to sell some of his bloodstock interests including the Extreme Three mare after Mr Nixon died last August.

Is This Love is a half-sister to the good mares, The Silk Road (1:55.1), who won six of eight NZ starts before being sold to West Australia, and Ginger Spice (1:57.7), who won six of 24 starts, before being sold to North American interests.

Is This Love had hinted a win was close after finishing third at Motukarara last month, and fifth in a fillies and mares mile at Methven in early December, but had also mixed her gait in other starts.

Some subtle shoeing and gear changes worked for Is This Love, who bounced back from a gallop a week earlier in her first try at the Forbury Park 1700m maiden fillies and mares races to score last Thursday, December 14.

After beginning safely, she led the chase after tearaway leader Tang and made the most of a marker run late to outfinish Newmans Jet by half a length.

Is This Love, a $22.90 chance, rated 2:03.2 for the stand start 1700m, the leaders running their last 800m in 59.8s and final 400m in 29s.

Kimberly, who finished a close second with Princess Sophia a week earlier at Addington, combined with the Monarchy mare for a deserved win in the C1-2 Air New Zealand Super Series Consolation Trot at Addington on Friday, December 20.

Princess Sophia, raced by Kimbery’s grandmother Jenny Butt, and trained by her uncle Tim Butt, was back early off the 10m line but ran out the 2600m strongly to wear down front-running Pyramid Monarch by a length in 3:23.5 for the stand start 2600m.

Kimberly tried to notch her third win of the weekend at Rangiora on Sunday, being left parked with her junior concession drive Mac Bubbles in a C2-3 pace.

She led turning for home but was swamped late by the Regan Todd-trained Strata Star, who stormed home to provide Michelle Neilson with her first NZ win.

OVERPORT LODGE NOTCH WIN NO. 29

Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones moved to 29 training wins for the season

after getting away with a pedestrian run in front with Kowhai Sunrise in the Rangiora Honorary Life & Veteran Members Trot on Sunday, December 22.

Kowhai Sunrise, a half-sister by Sundon to four-win trotters, Kowhai Whiz and The Drunken Drummer, is raced by breeder John Hartnell, of Kowhai Standardbreds Ltd.

Mr Hartnell is also a director of Hororata Honey Exports and the Chair of the Federated Farmers Bee Industry Group.

His horses wear his registered owners colours of yellow with a bee logo, and black trims.

He also bred Kowhai Whiz, currently racing in Auckland for the Colin and Julie De Filippi stable, and is a co-owner of two-win pacer Dynamic Party, who races for the Terry and Glenys Chmiel stable.

POMME ROY TOO GOOD IN CHRISTMAS @ THE RACES NON-TOTE

Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones will spell promising juvenile Pomme Roy for a month after impressively winning the Christmas At The Races 2YO non-tote pace at Addington on Friday, December 20, 2013.

Pomme Roy, a Christian Cullen colt from good producer T K Swift (Holmes Hanover-Sly Patron), was untroubled to lead up in the breezy conditions, quickening over his last 800m in 58.3s and final 400m in 29.2s. He rated 2:03.4 for the full 1950m.

Pomme Roy shows his determination near the finish of his debut non-tote 2YO win.

Bred by Ultimate Breeding of Westport, consisting of Graeme and Katrina Walsh, Pomme Roy has been syndicated to be raced by Grant Hatton, Paul Clarke, Bob Higgins, Bill Walsh (Graeme’s dad, who reined former top 1950s trotter Durban Chief to two Dominion Handicap wins, one promoted) and Claude Walsh.

Pomme Roy, a half-brother to big North American-winning mare Time Flies (1:52, US, 4 NZ wins, 31 USA wins), the dam of former Overport Lodge 2YO filly winner Glenferrie Magic (p2, 1:59.1, 1700m), is also a three-quarter brother the big-winning Ultimate Pursuit (six NZ wins, 38 USA wins) and half-brother to Noble Strike (two NZ wins, 15 USA wins, 1:56.8h, US).

“He’s a pretty nice horse,” said trainer Mark Jones.

Stablemate Expresso Martini (2c Bettor’s Delight-Putting On The Glitz), a half-brother to 2010 Northern Oaks and Nevele R Fillies Final winner Secret Potion (1:57.5, 10 wins & $285,312) and How Do Mate (four wins), raced by the Met Eight Syndicate, trailed Pomme Roy and finished 4 1/2 lengths behind his stablemate.

Itz Bettor To Win, sold after qualifying for the Mark Jones stable to race for the Mark Purdon/Nat Rasmussen team.

He would have finished closer but for racing greenly in the run home.

The Jones stable has been actively stepping out the juveniles in recent weeks, but recent qualifier Itz Bettor To Win (Bettor’s Delight-Itz All About Me colt) and Itz Platinum Plus (Bettor’s Delight-Itz Prahda Dahling) have changed stables already.

Itz Bettor To Win qualified in 2:32.3 for the mobile 2000m when following the others round behind another stablemate Smoke N Santanna at the Addington trials on December 2.

He confirmed his potential a week later, winning his Ashburton 1609m 2YO trial in 2:00.9, the last 800m in 57.9s and final 400m in 27.5s.

He has been subsequently sold by Kirwee breeders Bob and Norma McMeeking to the Butterworth Racing Partnership and has joined the Allstars barn of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen.

Itz Bettor To Win is from a race-winning Courage Under Fire sister to Itz Cherry Ripe (1:51.4, US) and half-sister to Itz Nosurprisesthere, who after showing promise for the Mark Jones team won both the NSW and Tasmanian Oaks for Victorian trainer Dean Braun last term.

Itz Platinum Plus, who finished just over five lengths third behind Itz Bettor To Win in the Ashburton trial, clocking 2:02 for the mile, is headed south to the Invercargill stable of Andrew “Archie” Armour.

Smoke N Santanna, a promising son of good mare Smoke N Mirrors, for the Mark Jones stable.

However, Pomme Roy and Smoke N Santanna, are both very unlikely to be sold out of the stable.

“I’m pretty luck to keep both of them as they will both get better,” Mark said.

Smoke N Santanna, a colt by Santanna Blue Chip from the good racemare Smoke N Mirrors (1:58.9, 1950m, 10 wins & 189,675), looked well above average qualifying at Addington on December 2, sprinting clear to win his mobile 2000m qualifier by 3 1/4 lengths.

He was sent straight to the spelling paddock after rating 2:02.5 for the trip, the leaders running their last 800m in 58.6s and final 400m in 28.5s.

Smoke N Santanna is the second foal from Smoke N Mirrors. Her first, Smoke N Grin (a 3YO by Grinformeartoear), won second-up for the Jonny Cox-Amber Hoffman Westwood Beach stable at Invercargill on November 3.

Expresso Martini will also have a month off and is expected to develop further.

Pomme Roy, Smoke N Santanna and Expresso Martini are scheduled to return for 2YO feature racing in the autumn.

By Jeff Scott 

MARK JONES MOVES TO THIRD WITH FIVE-WIN WEEKEND

Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones moved to third on this season’s trainers premiership on 26 wins with a five-win spree last weekend.

Both Sunoflindenny and Juneamy Castleton were front-running winners of loose class trots on the grass at Waimate on Sunday, December 15, in the hands of trainer Mark Jones.

His latest winner, the Butterworth Racing Syndicate-owned Sunoflindenny, justified his strong support after arriving from the Mark Purdon/Natalie Rasmussen-trained barn just a week before Waimate.

“Mark Purdon’s a pretty good pre-trainer to get them off,” Mark enthused.

“He (Mark Purdon) finished with him after he didn’t begin at the Addington trials a couple of weeks ago.”

“He came to be trained on the beach to help him and I changed some gear on him.”

“He’s actually not a bad animal and good natured. I’ll probably look at taking him to Blenheim in the New Year as the stakes up there are pretty good,” he said.

Sunoflindenny bounded away in a galloped for the first few strides off the unruly but soon settled into his trotting gait in the Pegasus Spur At Woodland Stud Trot, striding clear after the opening 400m.

Juneamy Castleton, scored with a front-running fresh-up win over 1700m at Waimate.

The 4YO Sundon-Yankee Diedre gelding was always travelling like the winner from that point, holding good finisher Sundons Comet by 1 3/4 lengths in 3:31.8 for the 2600m stand, quickening over his last 800m in 59s.

The Overport Lodge team completed a winning Waimate double in the loose grade trots with Juneamy Castleton having a good sense of occasion, taking out the McMillans Feeds At Waimate CRT Mobile Trot.

The 4YO Majestic Son mare made a winning resumption for Waimate Club president Lex Williams, and wife Heather.

Juneamy Castleton, from the six gate over 1700m, had good gate speed to lead into the first turn.

She dashed clear turning for home and although beginning to tire over final 50m, was too good, holding late closer Merilane (three back) by three-quarters of a length.

With Blair Orange at Auckland for premier racing, Mark enlisted in-form Methven reinsman Ricky May for a winning Overport Lodge stable treble at Forbury Park on Friday, December 13.

The Overport Lodge treble contributed to five wins on the night for the multiple NZ Cup winning reinsman.

Pat’s First Sun, second-up since being leased by the YOR! Racing With Mark Jones Syndicate to race with owner Wayne Higgs, provided the Mark McNamara-managed syndicate with its second Forbury win.

Pat’s First Sun, successful racing for the YOR! Racing With Mark Jones Syndicate and Wayne Higgs, at Forbury Park.

The YOR! Racing With Mark Jones Syndicate earlier won a race with Curve at Forbury on June 6.

Pat’s First Sun (5g Sundon-Got Pat) had finished unplaced in five starts last term for Higgs and had broken in the run home first-up for the Jones team at Methven.

But at Forbury, Pat’s First Sun never looked like letting the syndicate or his supporters down.

The second favourite stepped to the front from the inside draw and Ricky May didn’t risk extending Pat’s First Sun in the run home to hold challenger Feather Boyz by a neck.

He was always doing just enough to hold in a handy 2:55.8 for the stand start 2200m, trotting his last 800m in 61.1s.

Pat’s First Sun will try his luck first-up in the 1-win grade again at Forbury this Friday.

Astrapi, also on his best behaviour last Friday when leading throughout to win the C1-4 Superfast Stuart Discretionary Trot, also returns to Forbury this Friday to contest a C1-5 trot over 2700m.

A firm favourite last Friday, the younger brother to Delft (Sundon-Miriam) was much too good, controlling the front end. He won as he liked by 4 1/2 lengths from Mum Beat Lyall, trotting the 2700m (stand) in 3:33.7 and his last 800m in 61s.

Tuxedo Max, a debut pacing winner at Forbury for the Mark Jones stable, confirmed the worth of some useful trial form.

“He’d been going pretty good apart from when he broke a hopple at the Addington trials,” Mark said.

The 3YO Elsu-Paris Hilton colt skipped away from the inside draw in the Taieri Gorge Train Pace, settling three back on the markers.

Ricky May bided his time waiting for a marker run in the straight and Tuxedo Max unwound well to outfinish long-time maiden and front-runner Bianca by 1 1/2 lengths.

Tuxedo Max paced the 2200m (stand) in 2:51.6, the leaders running their last 800m in 59.6s and final 400m in 29.6s.

By Jeff Scott