JELLIGNITE BRINGS UP 50 WINS FOR SEASON
Mark Jones
Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones never envisaged having the horsepower to train 50 winners this term, but Mark and his staff were rewarded for a strong all-round effort to achieve the feat at Rangiora on Saturday, July 16.
Even following Mark’s winter sojourn to France earlier this month, he was doubtful whether they would get the half-century.
“You wonder where they all come from. If you’d said to me at the start of the season we’d get to 50 wins, I wouldn’t have believed it,” he said.
A top drive from Regan Todd on capable 3YO Jellignite in the 2-3 wins Olivia, Katie and Tom Dalton Mobile Pace brought up the milestone.
Regan found a good trialing spot on the outer early for Jellignite, then had him on the move to parked when others began to circle beginning the final 800m.
Jellignite kicked away turning for home when favourite Datmymulligan was held up in the trail and dashed clear to win by three lengths in 2:28.6 for the mobile 2000m _ a mile rate of 1:59.5 _ the leaders running their last 800m in 57.4s.
Jellignite and Regan Todd bring up win No. 50 for the Overport Lodge team at Rangiora on Saturday, July 16.
The team have two weeks to equal last term’s seasonal best of 52 training wins.
Maiden placegetters Chloe Finn (second) and Courage Talks (third) on Saturday are chances to add to the total before season’s end.
Saturday’s win also took Mark to 140 career training wins for just over $1.2 million in career training stake-earnings, a satisfying total as he winds up his third season as a public trainer.
Jellignite, a Courage Under Fire-Badjelly The Witch gelding, took his record to five wins and seven placings from 20 starts, for $31,207 in stakes for breeder-owner, Mrs Pat Campbell.