LAURA McKAY NOTCHES SECOND WIN
Overport Lodge junior driver Laura McKay knows how to get the best out of a “Kowhai”- named trotter.
She landed her first win with big trotter Kowhai Whiz at Rangiora last November, then repeated with “Whiz’s” half-brother, Kowhai Monarch at Addington on Thursday, September 15.
Laura McKay, after winning her first race with Kowhai Whiz at Rangiora on Thursday, November 5, 2015.
Kowhai Monarch, well-placed as a C4 trotter in a C2-4 mobile 1950m trot, moved up parked beginning the final lap.
Favourite Jayceekay (Blair Orange) swept to the lead at the 600m and ran clear turning for home, but Kowhai Monarch was well-rated by Laura, knuckling down when asked for a final surge inside the final 100m to win by half a neck.
Kowhai Monarch, a consistent 5YO Monarchy gelding from Surprising, raced by breeders John and Jill Hartnell, has now won five of 30 starts for $35,852.
He recorded the fourth win of the new season for the Mark Jones stable.
Laura had a good night with her two drives behind the straight-out trotters on Thursday, driving them both the same way but both found a good rhythm cutting the breeze in the open.
Her earlier drive Ruthless Success, which she now co-owns, wasn’t fazed by racing parked in the C1 mobile trot, running Cuddly Jess, who sped to the lead at the 2000m, to three-quarters of a length.