SUPREME GEM WINS EARLY SEPT. DOUBLE
Burnham trainer Mark Jones would ultimately like to take Supreme Gem to Menangle, New South Wales, for some mile racing.
She would be suited to a strong pace over sprint distances there.
However, her immediate plans were undecided after racing at Addington on Friday, September 9.
Mark would like to give her some time off but at the same time he doesn’t want to change anything while she’s going good.
The Christian Cullen-Flying Sands mare led and was always in control in the $10,000 Metalcorp NZ Ltd Mobile Pace at Addington.
She came clear to win untouched by three lengths in the run home from What A Card and Lucie Boshier for her second win in less than a week.
Supreme Gem rated 1:59.3 for the mobile 1950m, quickening over her last 800m in 57.1s and her final 400m in 28.1s.
She was recording her second win from three starts for her four-year-old racing.
GEM OF AN ASHBURTON WIN
Supreme Gem recorded her second sub 3:00 mobile 2400m winning performance when she won at Ashburton on Sunday, September 4.
She had only three behind her on settling in the 1-2 wins Papanui Club Inc Mobile Pace but was able to improve on the three wide train beginning the final lap.
Mark sent her past front-running Strawbs Fire Chip with 900m to run and she kept up a strong run to come clear in the run home by two and three quarter lengths from Winston P, What A Card and The Burnside Flyer.
She paced the mobile 2400m in 2:59.1, a mile rate of 2:00.1, closing with a good final 800m in 57.4s and final 400m in 28.3s.
Supreme Gem paced a faster 2:58.2 (1:59.4 mile rate) when leading throughout for her maiden win at Nelson in warmer conditions last January.
She gave an early indication of her ability when paced a 1:54.4 mile at Ashburton at only her third start when coming off the second row for a game second to Anvils Delight.
The former $60,000 yearling is raced by Chatsworth Lodge Ltd, along with Mrs Pat Dowie, and John and Christine McDermott.
“She will be a better horse in 12 months time, and better again in 24 months,” said co-owner John McDermott, who also trains his own team at Prebbleton and is a Director at Addington Raceway.
“It suits her when they go hard all the way. I think that’s why she’s done well in her races at Ashburton,” he said.
Supreme Gem will ultimately have plenty of long-term value as a future broodmare.
She is the first foal from Flying Sands, who has subsequently left a Red River Hanover filly, now three, a 2YO Mach Three colt, and a yearling filly by McArdle.
Flying Sands, owned by Vicki Cowan, was trained for her career by Vicki’s late husband Peter, winning 11 races from 48 starts for $113,195 with Mark Jones her regular driver.
The first three dams in Flying Sand’s maternal line were all unraced but third dam Witchlight left former top young pacer Trident.
Another daughter of Witchlight in Light Chase (by Patron Score) left the unraced Orbell, the dam of former top mare Lento (1:56.4, m.r, 2000m and $240,275).
Lento (by Peoples Blue Chip) left another stand-out filly in Whanau (1:57,1, m.r, 1950m), the winner of 10 including the 2002 Nevele R Fillies Final when driven by Mark’s father Peter Jones, for the late Henry Skinner.
Whanau, like Flying Sands and dual NZ Cup winner Monkey King, is sired by Sands A Flyin.
Orbell is also the grand dam of another top pacer in Awesome Armbro (1:49.8), the winner of over $650,000 in NZ, Australia and Canada,
Bella Chip, a sister to Lento and the winner of five in NZ, raced on well in North America, notching another 11 wins for $110,400) and returned for breeding in NZ leaving former Victoria Derby and Australasian Breeders Crown 2YO colts and geldings Final winner Bella’s Boy (15 NZ & Aust wins, 1:52, US), the winner of over $473,171.
Winter Rose, a sister to Bella’s Boy, after being a 2YO NZ Sires Stakes Heat winner, has also gained fame as the dam of 2009 Victoria, Cranbourne and Tasmania Cups winner Bettor’s Strike (1:55.7, m.r, 2240m, 16 wins & $875,354).
By Jeff Scott