Electric Ollie bowed out of NZ on a high in the hands of catch driver Natalie Rasmussen at the Northern Southland meeting at Invercargill on Friday, September 27.
“He was well driven,” said trainer Mark Jones.
The horse left Overport Lodge to join Kerryn MannIng’s Victorian stable this week.
Electric Ollie, who will continue to race in Victoria for Melbourne owners Meg and Merv Butterworth, furthered the fast start to the season for trainer Mark Jones with his 10th win for the new term. The 6YO Washington VC gelding was well-placed to take out the 3-5 wins Panspacificflight@Macca Lodge Mobile Pace. He furthered his good NZ formline, justifying a $1.60 win quote.
Natalie Rasmussen, who won three of four drives at the Invercargill meeting, eased Electric Ollie back to last from the wide gate but improved as forward positions change to work into the one-one sit with 600m remaining.
Electric Ollie stormed to the front at the 200m and held the spirited claim from Run Fatboy Fun to score by three-quarters of a length in a 1:59.6 rate, the leaders running their last 800m in 56.8s and final 400m in 27.7s.
He was well placed to win four of his last six starts for the Jones stable, including the $10,400 Metalcorp NZ Ltd Young At Heart Series Final at Addington on September 6.
Also Australia-bound is maiden The Editor (3c Bettor’s Delight-Easy Falcon), the runnerup to Franco Toulone in his race debut at Oamaru on September 15.
The Editor is to do his future racing in New South Wales.