MASTER LAVROS SOLID IN COMEBACK RANGIORA TRIAL
Former Trotter of the Year Master Lavros made a pleasing public return at the Rangiora trials on Tuesday, November 29.
Master Lavros looks big and bold in the early stages of Tuesday’s Rangiora trial for Regan Todd.
Driven by Regan Todd off a 50m handicap in the C1 and faster trot, the big Sundon gelding began well and followed his three rivals round, not being asked to over exert himself first-up.
He ran to the line without being hurried behind Victorian visitor, Kyvalley Blur (Bob Butt), who was too good after trailing The Best Beg.
Kyvalley Blur, third in both the NZ Trotting Free-For-All and Dominion Handicap during NZ Cup week 2016, came clear by 2 1/2 lengths in a comfortable 3:30.3 (2600m).
The leaders picked up the speed over their last 800m in 58s and closing 400m in 27.5s.
“Regan was happy with the big fella. He said he was trotting good and felt good,” said Overport Lodge trainer, Mark Jones.
Mark has a $13,000 mobile 2600m free-for-all trot at Addington on December 16 as a likely race resumption for Master Lavros, who is on the comeback trail after being sidelined with a hind suspensory injury last December.
Ice Crusher (Samantha Ottley) holds You Gotta Have Faith (Tim Williams) in the C1 mobile 2000m pace at the Rangiora trials.
Tuesday’s trials also resulted in a smart return by the lightly-raced Ice Crusher, who was spelled after racing at last year’s NZ Cup meeting.
Ice Crusher, a 4YO Christian Cullen-Helena Kilena gelding, has won two of his six race starts.
He led virtually throughout the C1 mobile 2000m pace on Tuesday, holding the capable All Stars 3YO You Gotta Have Faith, by a length in 2:30.9.
Ice Crusher impressed over his last 800m in 56.2s and his final 40m in 26.5s.
“Sam (Ottley) was rapt with him. We will look for a junior race at Forbury next week for him,” Mark said.
The stable also gave two juvenile trotters some experience in the 2YO mobile trot over 2000m.
Although outside the qualifying time of 2:42, the pair of Fancy Woman (Majestic Son-Playmate Of The Year filly), a grand-daughter of Miss Whiplash and Majestic Lavros (Majestic Son-Lavra Noblesse gelding), a half-brother to Master Lavros, were mistake free.
Fancy Woman (Samantha Ottley) holds stablemate Majestic Lavros (Mark Jones) in the 2YO trot at the Rangiora trials.
The former held by half a head in 2:48.5, the last 800m in 65.9s and final 400m in 32.4s.
Ellaquence (2f Well Said-Letatalk), a fourth-line descendant of 2012 NZ Broodmare Excellence Award winner Maureens Dream, gained her qualifying pacing ticket in the next heat.
She settled three back and held her inside place in the run home, finishing fifth, clocking 2:35.5.
Ellaquence is a half-sister to former good NZ, West Australian and now USA winner Machtu (1:50.8) and to Raconteur, dam of last season’s NZ record-setting 3YO filly, Talkerup (p3, 1:56), now in West Australia.
Maureens Dream, a half-sister to former brilliant youngster Tuapeka Knight, is the grand-dam of former smart NZ 3YO Ideal Scott (1:52.8) and has also been in the news lately as the grand-dam through Reality Check of NRM Sires’ Stakes 3YO winner in record time, Ultimate Machete (p3, 1:52.6 mile rate, 1950m) and his half-sister Major Reality (p3, 1:54.7), winner of a WA Oaks and winner of last Friday’s $50,000 Norms Daughter Mares Classic in Perth.
By Jeff Scott