Category Archive

THE BUS & MILLWOOD TILLY WIN, MISTER FINNIGAN THIRD The Bus, the latest $100,000 earner for the Mark Jones stable, capitalised on a drop-back from Menangle racing to win again in a $6360 C6 and faster pace at Newcastle on Saturday, February 23. A hot $1.33 favourite from the four gate, The Bus led up for driver Guy Chappie and came clear to win by 9.3 metres in a 1:58.5 rate for the 2030m, quickening over  his last 800m in 55.8s and his last 400m in 28.3s. This was the 12th win in 41 career starts for The Bus, the …

HALF-SISTER TO PEMBROOK BENNY FOR OVERPORT LODGE Burnham trainer Mark Jones added to his yearling stock by securing New Moment, a half-sister by Art Major to 2013 NZ Free-For-All winner Pembrook Benny (1:53.6, 22 wins & $898,104), at the NZ Bloodstock Standardbred Sales in Christchurch on Wednesday. The filly is also a half-sister to former previous Overport Lodge winners, Holme Fire (1:58.8, five wins at two and three, $69,488) and Northern Velocity (1:56.6, 12 wins & $188,264), and a; half-sister to other smart fillies/mares in Pembrook Caesar (1:53, 10 wins & $77,433) and (Sparkling) Tachyon (1:55.5, four wins & $47,377). …

MARK BUYS $100,000 FILLY AT KARAKA  Burnham trainer Mark Jones outlaid $100,000 to secure La Rosa, a yearling sister to Group One-placed 3YO filly Buzinga (p3, 1:56.8), and two-year-old Young Guns Heat place-getter Dr Susan (1;57.2), at NZ Bloodstock’s National Standardbred Yearling Sale at Karaka on Monday, February 18, 2019. By champion sire Bettor’s Delight, La Rosa is just the third foal from Safedra (p3, 1:56.3), who numbered a win in the Group Two 2013 Southland Oaks among her 10 wins from 48 starts for $135,577 in stakes. Safedra (by Mach Three) also chase home champion filly Adore Me in …

DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS WINS OPEN MARES PACE Former Overport Lodge mare Delightful Memphis lifted her 2019 USA earnings to $US61,250 with victory in a $44,000 mares pace at Yonkers Raceway, New York, on Saturday (NZ time). The Bettor’s Delight-Memphis Melody mare has now won four of five starts for the year, and finished second in the other for the Richard “Nifty” Norman stable. She settled fourth for driver Jason Bartlett but unwound strongly to win by a length in 1:53 on the half-mile track. Delightful Memphis, racing as Delightfulmemphisn in the USA, won 11 of 36 Australasian starts for the Mark …

LULU LE MANS UNTROUBLED IN NEWCASTLE DEBUT Lulu Le Mans, the first foal from big-winning racemare Elusive Chick (1:53.1), was untroubled to win her Newcastle (NSW) debut for the Mark Jones stable on Friday night, February 15. A two-year-old by champion sire Bettor’s Delight, Lulu Le Mans was sent out a hot $1.33 favourite for the HRNSW Guaranteed Two-Year-Old Pace. She led throughout for trainer Mark Jones, winning by 17.2 metres in a 2:02.4 rate for the 1609m, quickening over her last 800m in 57.5s and her final 400m in 28.3s. Lulu Le Mans is raced by five of her …

EX-OVERPORT LODGE DUO WIN IN USA Former Overport Lodge pacers, Delightfulmemphisn and Whittaker added to their North American careers last weekend. Delightfulmemphisn took her 2019 earnings to just short of $US40,000 when leading throughout in a $29,000 fillies and mares pace at Yonkers, New York. Driven by Jason Bartlett for trainer “Nifty” Norman, the Bettor’s Delight-Memphis Melody mare held by half a length in 1:54 on the half-mile Yonkers track. Whittaker returned to winning form at the Big M in North America on Sunday (NZ time). The Sportswriter entire made the most of the inside draw in a $13,650 conditioned …

HALF-SISTER TO MASTER LAVROS DEAD-HEATS Asteria Lavra, a juvenile half-sister by Angus Hall to stand-out stable squaregaiter Master Lavros, had an educational run at the Rangiora trials on Wednesday January 30. Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones led up with the Lavros Lodge-bred and owned filly, who was joined late by the Jimmy Curtin-trained and driven Zigzagzoo (Majestic Son-Letz Hope gelding). The pair finished on terms at the end of the mobile 2000m in 2:44.3, 2.3 seconds outside the required qualifying time. However, both two-year-old trotters hit out well to the line over their last 800m in 62.1s and final 400m …

SOUTHERN NON-WIN RACE STAKES Following a meeting of the Southern Harness Programming Committee yesterday we would like to announce that effective today (Thursday, January 31, 2019) for the duration of the current season, all non-win (MR) races will carry a minimum stake of $10,000 (an increase from $8,000). This includes today’s Wyndham Harness Racing Club Meeting which has three non-win (MR) races carded. The $1500 bonus paid by Harness Racing NZ will be added onto the $10,000 stake. This is something Southern Harness have been striving to achieve and we hope that this will give breeders, owners and trainers renewed …

NEW NZ METRO CEO After completing a robust appointment process, The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Brian Thompson as Chief Executive Officer. Mr Thompson, who will graduate this year with a Master’s in Business Studies from Massey University, has been with Addington since 2011 and will take up his new role on 11 February 2019. He replaces Peter Jensen, who late last year was appointed as Chief Executive of Harness Racing New Zealand. New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club Chair, Brent Smith, said he and the Board are delighted to announce Mr Thompson’s appointment. …

THE BUS BEATEN BY DRAW IN FINAL The Bus fought gamely from the outside second row draw when second in the C2-5 $25,000 Hygain Golden Guitar Final at Tamworth, New South Wales, on Thursday, January 24. The Mark Jones-trained pacer settled five places back on the outer for driver Guy Chappie, then improved wide beginning the last 1000m to be parked outside front-running Queenslander, Im Norma Jean, over the last lap. Im Norman Jean (5m Modern Art-Lets Rocknroll),  driven by Pete McMullen for trainer Peter Greig, didn’t relent over the last 600m, drawing clear to win by 6.5 metres in …