MASTER LAVROS TOO GOOD IN HELLERS DOMINION
Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones stuck to his game plan and was rewarded with the most sought after trophy in NZ trotting, the $200,000 Hellers Dominion Handicap at Addington on Show day, Friday, November 15, 2013.
There was some relief everything went right, as more often than not things can go wrong, but Mark couldn’t fault how things panned out.
Overport Lodge trainer-driver Mark Jones shares a moment with Trackside presenter Greg O’Connor after his Dominion victory.
“Everyone had their chance but on the day the best horse won,” Mark said.
“His work last Sunday was as good as we could ever get it,” he said.
Mark even allowed himself a rare show of emotion with a victory salute _ first seen at Addington in 2001 on another special occasion.
That was when Mark was 22 and clinched the NZ Drivers Premiership, moving past Tony Herlihy on the final night of racing for the season at Addington, when victorious with Final Ridge and ending the season on 116 wins.
The Dominion held special significance for Mark as his most sought after race to win, outside the biggest of them all, the New Zealand Cup.
“To win it you need a great show of horsemanship,” he says.
Master Lavros is joined by owner Kypros Kotzikas and partner Jane Campbell in the victory celebrations.
Mark became a third generation Jones family success story in the race _ his late grandfather Derek having driven 1951 winner Battle Cry, while Mark’s father Peter drove two Dominion winners, Tussle (1986) and Sundon (1990).
Sundon, himself, has super-sired Master Lavros, and earlier Dominion winners, Martina H (dead-heat with Take A Moment, (2002), Pompallier (2005), Whatsundermykilt (2006) and Springbank Richard (2009).
Mark resisted temptation to start Master Lavros in Tuesday’s mobile free-for-all. Master Lavros again stepped well, being parked early, with Mark wresting the lead from arch rival Stent after the opening 600m.
Although he would have been happy to stay in front, Mark found a perfect trail behind 2008 Dominion winner Stig when he ranged up quickly beginning the last mile.
Master Lavros was much too good with a sprint lane run in the straight. He won untested with a sprint lane finish by 2 1/2 lengths from Stig, Stent and Vulcan, in a strong 4:05.1 (3200m).
Mark, 33, a the 2003 World Champion driver and 1999 Australasian Young Drivers Champion, is these days fully devoted his training operation.
He earmarked Ricky May to drive Master Lavros this season, but owner Kypros Kotzikas had other thoughts.
The reason why is simple, says Mark. “Kypros insisted I had to drive him.”
Master Lavros, decorated with his garland and dress rug, after taking out the Hellers Dominion.
“Being a trotter who flew into a break at the Jewels early on, Kypros said you do all the work with him and know him, so you drive him.”
Mark explained some of the mystery for engaging Blair Orange, Ricky May or Anthony Butt, for his better horses, yet still accepts outside drives, such as for the Tim Butt-trained Pass Them By, in Tuesday’s $650,000 New Zealand Cup.
“I realised after I handed up the lead in a race with Shezoneoftheboyz that it was something I would never do _ hand up the lead on a $1.20 favourite.”
“But when you train them, you sometimes know too much about them _ about whats going on behind the scenes, and it can cloud your judgement. Its better when you can just put someone on and they drive them how they see it.”
“But I do like driving the trotters,” he said.
“Training is more important to me than driving, but the owner gets what he wants, so I am on this horse and pretty stoked about it now.”
Team Overport Lodge with Master Lavros post-race. From left to right, Kimberly Butt, Mark Jones, Kypros Kotzikas, Jane Campbell and Regan Todd.
Master Lavros, and Tuesday’s brilliant intermediate grade pacing winner Saveapatrol, are now at the satellite arm of the stable at Woodend Beach managed by Regan Todd.
and Mark was quick to thank Regan for his major role, along with other support staff, Jill Smolenski, Amber Jenkins and Kimberly Butt.
“Straight-line training on the beach has helped him,” he said.
Mark was also thankful to the work by Gillian Morris with Master Lavros.
“She’s a qualified horse masseuse.”
“She massages both Master Lavros and Saveapatrol. She goes over his whole body and spends an hour and a bit a day on him. Things like that make a big difference,” Mark said
Off and trotting in the 2013 Hellers Dominion. From inside out, Stent, Master Lavros, Peak, Dr Hook and The Fiery Ginga, all step well from the front-line.
Mark doesn’t intend to over-race Master Lavros this term.
“I’m leaning toward missing Auckland (December),” he said.
“Hopefully that will get him into the Glenferrie Challenge ($A200,000, Menangle, NSW, March 2).”
He is then likely to have a couple of races in Melbourne such as the $A100,000 Australian Trotting Grand Prix on March 15.
However, the $A300,000 Great Southern Star on March 22 is off the radar, as Mark won’t race him twice in the one day.
Master Lavros is scheduled to then return to NZ for the $150,000 Rowe Cup at Auckland on May 5.
“That will about do it this season. He’s going to be better next year you’d think. If I look after him, he’ll look after me,” Mark said.
Master Lavros has raced just 20 times for 11 wins and three placings, earning $197,152.
* Mark gifted one of his supporters, wheelchair-bound teen Campbell Cowan, with his winning whip after winning the Hellers Dominion.
“He’s a great kid so it was nice to put a smile on his face,” Mark said.
Mark gave the whip to the boy, who was born with cerebal palsy, epilespy and visual impairment, when returning to the stabling enclosure.
By Jeff Scott