ALEX NOSE 2ND IN QUALIFIER
Burnham trainer Mark Jones is considering taking Alexis’ brother Alex south for a 2YO race in two weeks time.
Alex, a compact gelded son of Courage Under Fire and Alegria, set up a solid pace in the second 2YO colts and geldings mobile mile at the Ashburton trials on Tuesday, February 8.
After being hotly challenged in the run home, he was caught on the line by Jivin Cullen, a big 2YO brother to Joshua Mac (Christian Cullen-Hot Shoe Shuffle colt) in the Robert Dunn stable.
Jivin Cullen paced the 1609m in 2:01.3, the leaders running their last 800m in 57.9s and final 400m in 27.4s.
“Alex is in the next wave of two-year-olds I’ve got coming through,” Mark said.”I’ve also got some fillies getting ready to go (to the trials) next week.”
Alex, bred and owned by Queenslander Greg Brodie, also formerly raced Alexis to place in a NZ Oaks before she was sold to Melbourne owner Peter Chambers.
Subsequently racing in Victoria as Glenferrie Alexis, she has now won 15 of 40 lifetime starts for $178,983 in stakes.
Mark said Atombob, a sound fourth after being a little rocky early in the first 2YO colts and geldings 2YO pace on Tuesday, will come out of Saturday’s $25,000 NZ Sapling Stakes.
Atombob, a McArdle-Tuapeka Melinque gelding, qualified by running 2:01.2 for the 1609m behind Orl Black, Nickel Plated Tabman and Four Needed in the first 2YO colts and geldings mobile pace at Tuesday’s trials. He is on the ballot for the Sapling.
Mark’s first 2YO pacers to race this term, Unique Chance, Texas Terror and Kristoff, have all been freshened.
Meanwile juvenile trotter Beau Brummell surprised Mark with a handy 2YO mobile trot trial win at the Ashburton trials.
The Earl-Lady Boo Kay gelding outfinished the Carl Middleton-trained Trip’s On Me in 2:05.9 for the 1609m, the leaders quickening over their last 800m in 62.5s and closing 400m in 29.5s.
Gee That’s Courage (3c Courage Under Fire-Soky’s Gee), who qualified at Timaru as a late 2YO last July, finished well from the rear for Scott Stewart for a half length second to Magical Molly in a non-win pace.
The Kevin Fairbairn-trained Magical Molly held on to run 3:08.3 for the stand start 2400m, the leaders running their last 800m in 59s.
Unique Attack and Princeton were Mark Jones-trained maidens who ran thirds in their respective mobile 2400m maiden heats on Tuesday, after each tried to lead over the final lap.
The former was outfinished in the run home by Christian Royal and Give Us a Hand in a solid 3:02, the leaders running their last 800m in 59s and final 400m in 27.8s.
Princeton, a Bettor’s Delight half-brother to San Fran Lady and Union Buster, was caught by Ima Dude Too and Walden Bury over the closing stages of his heat in 3:06, the last 800m in 57.1s and final 400m in 27.3s.
By Jeff Scott