Mark will take a mid-season break with impressive Addington winner Willison and maiden graduate Deny Everything, respective winners for the Elite team on Friday and Saturday.
Willison, who raced without luck at the Cup meeting, put his best foot forward on Friday with Mark in the sulky, though he’s ready for a break now.
“I’d not been as happy with him, and even in the week leading up to Friday night until he worked nice on Wednesday,” said Mark.
“He can have as nice break over Christmas now and back for something bigger later – he’s good enough to run in a Derby.”
And off for a spell too is Deny Everything (4g A Rocknroll Dance – Lecerne Lil).
“He’d been a bit crook since going a poor one Cup day and has probably done a nice job to bounce back, win his maiden, and can now head out. He’ll be a better horse next time around.”
Deny Everything led throughout to win on the grass track at Oamaru, holding on by a head to defeat a very late lunge from Mongolian Conqueror.
Stylish Memphis, the third of the Elite Racing stable to win this weekend, is on a float to Auckland on Tuesday where she will meet up with paddock-mate Lulu Le Mans at Jeremy Young’s property.
She qualified the $150,000 Alabar Sires Stakes Fillies Final at Alex Park on December 31 with an end-to-end win in her Addington heat, cruising to victory in 1:57.4 rate for the 1980m mobile.
“She is still short of her very-best, but with a float trip up that’s an extra kilo or two that is needed for now,” said Mark.
Stylish Memphis will contest the $100,000 Peter Breckon Memorial on December 14 where a clash with Amazing Dream awaits.