MARK TURNS ALGEEPEE AROUND
Burnham trainer Mark Jones turned Algeepee around for the gelding’s first win for 11 months at Addington on Friday night, August 27.
The former World Champion driver was in top spring form with a training double, also getting Jackaroozy home narrowly in the final event.
For good measure, he also seized the initiative in front behind Raglan on the home turn to dash clear and hold the fast late finish of Stunin Cullen in the night’s feature, the $10,000 Vero Handicap Pace.
“Probably a lot of things came together with Algeepee. It all worked into place,” Mark said.
“He’d been trying for a while in a hard grade.”
“He won two races real good at Addington last September, then went big races at the NZ Cup meeting.”
“But he’s been in a tough grade for a while and this was a drop down in class for him after racing Stunin Cullen last week.”
Mark changed his training during the week, keeping him off the track and sending him round the roads.
“I definitely noticed an improvement in him during the week and it all came together,” he said.
Algeepee, who paced a strong 3:11.5 (1:58.5 mile rate) for the mobile 2600m to wear down front-running Wonderful Tonight, with The Big Mach third, was bred and is raced by retired painter Morton Price, and wife Anne, who live in Wanaka.
“This is about the first time they haven’t been here to watch him,” Mark said.
“Their son Nyles lives in Christchurch. He was there for his parents.”
Algeepee joined the Mark Jones Racing Stables last year. He previously won first-up at three for Kaiapoi trainer David Thompson, then another two for the Mark Purdon/Grant Payne stable.
Now five, the Pacific Rocket-No Parking gelding took his career earnings to $59,868 on Friday, from five wins and 13 placings in 34 starts.
Jackaroozy, who makes up for his diminutive size with a huge heart, recovered well after scrambling away from the inside barrier to win the Passions Promise Breeders Crown Winner Pace.
The Courage Under Fire gelding ran slightly faster overall (3:16.1) to win the 2-3 win pace than it took Raglan to win the 6-win or faster pace (3:16.7).
However those in the fast class pace showed their fleet of foot, Raglan running his last 800m in 55.8s and final 400m in 27.3s _ as opposed to 59s for the final 800m in Jackaroozy’s race.
The final race winner was on the move from the rear at the 1400m to take the lead off Fresco Denario with 1000m to run.
After trailing Bushfire at the 700m, Jackaroozy was game along the sprint lane in the straight, holding by a neck.
The younger brother to Alexis (now racing in Victoria as Glenferrie Alexis) took his record to four wins and 12 placings from 25 starts, for $31,109 in stakes, for Queensland owner Greg Brodie.
By Jeff Scott