ASTRAPI DELIVERS AT TIMARU FOR TRAINER
Astrapi isn’t the type you’d want to play cards with but he behaved himself for boss Mark Jones at the Timaru meeting on Saturday, November 22.
Mark stepped him safely from the inside of the back row to be soon trailing three back, but his chances didn’t look good after being held up by the tiring Final Secret at the 400m.
Astrapi, back in winning form on Saturday for trainer Mark Jones in the colours of owner Kypros Kotzikas.
The former world champion driver manouevred him off the markers and gradually let the enigmatic squaregaiter gather top speed in the run home .
Mark didn’t risk releasing Astrapi’s removeable deafeners.
Astrapi, the younger brother to 2006 Moonee Valley Interdominion Trot champion Delft (1:53, US), charged through gaps to win going away by three-quarters of a length from Heza Mighty Monarch, resuming for Nigel McGrath.
The winner had loomed as a distinct danger at Ashburton during NZ Cup week before mixing his gait in side the final 200m.
Mark was confident Astrapi wasn’t far away from a win, providing he held his gait throughout.
Astrapi was notching his first win since scoring at Forbury in December last year for driver Ricky May.
The 5YO Sundon-Miriam gelding was recording his third win from only 23 starts for Lavros Lodge owner Kypros Kotzikas.
Mr Kotzikas has also bred other good winners in Lavra Miriam (four NZ wins, 1:57.4), Top Notch Lavros (five NZ wins) and minor winner Lavros The Great from Miriam, a Chiola Hanover mare from Carol Seth, who won three.
Meanwhile, results from tests to Mr Kotzikas’ top trotter Master Lavros should be known by the end of next week.