‘TEXAS’ SUPERIOR STAYER
Burnham trainer Mark Jones has his sights set on a crack at November’s New Zealand Cup with Invercaill Cup winner Ohoka Texas.
‘Texas’ proved much too strong at his first race over 3200m in the $40,000 Ascot Park Hotel-sponsored Invercargill Cup on Saturday, January 28.
Mark was in awe of the Christian Cullen entire for his tough race attitude following the win.
“He went great again. He is an unreal horse that you admire for his racing style,” Mark said.
Ohoka Texas tangled away, losing around 20m before settling, but after working to the front at the 1300m, it was a case of the further he went, the more he gave.
“The 3200m is no problems. He could have gone another lap and nothing would have got past him,” he said.
Ohoka Texas held a spirited finish from Franco Ledger by 1 3/4 lengths, with Artiface tiring to run third. Ohoka Texas was powering away strongly after the finish.
He paced the 3200m from a stand in the windy conditions in 4:06.2, running his last 800m in 58.3s and final 400m in 28.9s.
Ohoka Texas, now the winner of 11 from 19 starts for $142,771 for owners, Katie, Oliva and Adam Carville, may only race three more times this season.
Mark says he is likely to contest the Waikouaiti Cup on February 12, the Superstars 4YO Championship at Addington on March 23, and the Easter Cup at Addington on April 7, before spelling with a view to being set for November’s NZ Cup.
“I’ll nominate for the Auckland Cup (March 9), but I’m only luke-warm for the Auckland Cup as it is not an ideal track and is a mobile start.”
OK COURAGE RESUMES ON HIGH
OK Courage, who resumed with a half-head win over Cracker Black in the 4-5 wins Hecton Product 2007 Ltd Mobile Pace at Invercargill on Saturday, is likely to be taken to Menangle for racing before too long.
“I was rapt to win first-up with him,” he said.
“I’m in no rush with him and will space his races. He’s still an MO in Sydney so I’ll take him there shortly.”
The 6YO Courage Under Fire-OK Adios gelding has been well-placed by Mark, winning 12 races (six penalty-free) from 34 starts, for $101,661 in stakes, for Queensland owner Greg Brodie.
OK Courage was first-up for eight months on Saturday.
However, the injury-plagued pacer had been in good touch with two Rangiora trial wins lead-up to his race resumption.
After easing to last from the wide gate on Saturday, Mark tracked up Anvils Top Gun over the last lap and finished best to win in 200.1 mile rate for the 2200m, the leaders running thier last 800m in 59.7s.
Stablemate Jellignite had no little luck, being left parked early, taking cover at the 800m behing Cracker Black and battling away to finish fifth.
The winning Invercargill double brought up Mark’s 31st and 32nd training wins for the season, and advanced the stable earnings to $234,161 in stakes.
He is currently the fourth leading trainer in NZ for the season, and is sixth on the drivers premiership, with 39 wins for $370,607.
By Jeff Scott