Bob eyes country cups

BABES BOY BOB EYES COUNTRY CUPS

Babes Boy Bob, the first of two early season winners for Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones this term, may take in some country summer cups before heading to Sydney mid-season.

“Bob went good at Addington (beating Datmymulligan and Floyd Mayweather on August 4, 2011), but not so good at Rangiora last Sunday,” Mark said.

“He’ll race here for a bit,” Mark said.

“With his stand start manners, we’ll look at the odd country cups, then in three-six months he’ll probably go to Sydney.”

“We’ve got to keep his winning stakes under $15,000 and its not hard the way the stakes are, but its not as people are making out,” he said.

Babes Boy Bob’s owners, Merv and Meg Butterworth, are “big players” in the harness game, owning 71 winners throughout Australasia last term.

“I thought Datmymulligan would outsprint me at Addington going that slow (overall), but he actually won quite good,” Mark said.

Babes Boy Bob, after trailing Datmymulligan, was too good with a sprint lane finish, coming clear by 2 1/2 lengths iin 3:21.6 for the stand start 2600m.

The leaders quickened over their last 800m in 58.2s and closing 400m in a smart 27.1s.

“I thought he wouldn’t get beat first-up but he hit the wheels at Forbury (late June).”

Mark says Babes Boy Bob seems better when racing on the fresh side.

“I thought he might have been a run short at Addington, but he went really good.”