SHESACHRISTIAN STAYS SOUTH Shesachristian, who delivered in style at Forbury on Saturday, November 6, has joined the Graeme Anderson/Amber Hoffman stable for her future racing. “She’s gone to McArdle and I think she’s in foal, so she’ll only have a few months left racing,” said Burnham trainer Mark Jones. “I’ve left her with Graeme (Anderson) and she’ll race in his name down there in country cups and mares’ races.” Shesachristian had remained in South Dunedin with the the Anderson/Hoffman team as caretaker trainers at Westwood Beach for the two-week period between her last two Forbury races. “The change of scenery …
Three-Year-old fillies qualify
BRODIE-OWNED FILLIES QUALIFY LATE OCTOBER Courage Talks and Honey Delight, 3YO filly stablemates who qualified at Motukarara on Wednesday, October 28, were scheduled to debut at Forbury Park on Saturday week (November 6). “They both go quite good. Hopefully they can keep up,” said trainer Mark Jones, who prepares the pair for Queensland owner Greg Brodie. The Burnham trainer took a day off off from driving on Wednesday, but observed intently from the sidelines. Courage Talks, a 3YO filly sister to the capable 2 win pacer Talk About Courage _ racetimed in 1:57.1 mile when second to …
Jill Smolenski an asset to stable
JILL SMOLENSKI MAKES STRONG CONTRIBUTION Burnham trainer Mark Jones considered his eighth training win for the season a bonus after In Like Magic scored a deserved win in the Travelsmart Garden City Trot at Addington on Friday, October 15. “Jill Smolenski came to work for me about six weeks ago and brought In Like Magic with her,” Mark said. “She works in the mornings and is an asset to the stable. She works fast and has us all busy keeping up with her,” he said. Jill doesn’t have her own training licence, so In Like Magic was officially transferred …
Mainland Banner fetches $135,000
CUP WINNING MARE SOLD AT DISPERSAL SALE Former champion racemare Mainland Banner (1:55.1) was sold for $135,000 to Nevele R Stud’s General Manager Peter O’Rourke, as agent, on behalf of Peter Chambers, at the Cullen Breeding Dispersal Sale at Christchurch’s Addington Raceway on Sunday August 29. The realisation that the 2005 New Zealand Cup-winning mare can only have foals by embryo transfer was of no concern, according to Mr O’Rourke. “There is more chance annually to get foals with embryo transfer,” he said. A first-up consort under her new ownership will be top American sire Rocknroll Hanover, who has frozen …
Kiwis clean up at Breeders Crown
KIWIS CLAIM BREEDERS CROWN SPOILS By Brad Bishop Kiwis dominated the biggest day in Australian harness racing at the Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown day at Melton on Sunday, August 22, 2010. New Zealand had runners in five of the nine Group 1 finals and won four of them. De Lovely created history in the three-year-old fillies final, Devil Dodger led home a Kiwi trifecta in the boys’ version of the same age group and Paramount Geegee and Miami H won their respective trotting finals. De Lovely became the shortest-priced winner of a pacing final in 13 Breeders Crowns when she …
Sundons Gift millionaire winner
SUNDON GIFT HITS MAGICAL MARK Sundons Gift’s status as a harness racing immortal is secure following his win in the Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown Graduate Trotters Free-For-All at Melton’s Tabcorp Park on Friday, August 20, 2010. The Chris Lang-trained superstar became the first Australian-prepared trotter to top $A1 million in prizemoney when he won the $A35,000 Group 2. (He was bred to achieve being by former champion squaregaiter and sire Sundon from Landora’s Gift, a 4-win daughter of Chiola Hanover and former top NZ trotting mare Landora’s Pride (34 wins and $472,842), who numbered wins in both NZ’s Group One …
Posthumous award for Kahdon
POSTHUMOUS AWARD FOR KAHDON Ill-fated filly Kahdon joined an elite list of 3YO trotters to be voted NZ Trotter of the Year in Christchurch on Saturday, July 31. Kahdon, who lost her life to a bacterial infection in Australia on July 19, joins One Over Kenny (2005) and Sovereignty (2008) as previous age group champions to take out the coveted title. Voters gave Kahdon a three vote advantage over Dominion Handicap winner Springbank Richard for the top of the division, polling 11 votes to eight. Rowe Cup champ Sundons Gift gained 7 votes for Trotter of the Year, while top …
Kahdon loses battle
KAHDON LOSES BATTLE Kahdon lost the biggest battle of her life to a bacterial infection at a veterinary clinic in Victoria on Monday, July 19. NZ’s top 3YO trotter struggled to beat the infection for much of the week leading up to her demise. “She was 50-50 all the way through really, then took a turn for the worse,” said trainer Mark Jones. “They were teeing her up for an operation at 4pm, but she died an hour earlier,” he said. “I feel sorry for Peter Chambers (owner). He loves his horses and was pretty upset.” It was a double …
Vict Trot Derby & Redwood results
JINGLING ALL THE WAY Jingling Silver capped an unforgettable Redwood Carnival for Chris Lang when she became only the third filly in the past 20 runnings to win the Seelite Windows and Doors Victoria Trotters Derby (2690m) at Maryborough on Sunday, July 18. The daughter of Conch De Ville joined last year’s winner Arizona Blue and 2003 champion Zesta as the only girls to have upstaged the boys since 1991 when she sprint-laned to victory in the $A75,000 Group 1. It was Lang’s fourth win for the day and ensured the 25th anniversary Redwood Carnival would go down as his …
Ricky on Jackaroozy
RICKY ON JACKAROOZY Burnham trainer Mark Jones has picked a driver to suit the diminuitive but competitive Jackaroozy when he shoots for back-to-back Forbury Park wins on Friday, July 2. “Ricky (May) is going to drive him and being the size he is, he should suit the horse,” Mark said. Mark is heading to Melbourne on Friday to drive top 3YO trotter Kahdon in a heat of the Victoria Trotting Derby on Saturday night. “I couldn’t get a flight over on Saturday, so I’m going Friday. Ricky can also drive San Fran Lady at Forbury. The boys here can look …