SOME EXCUSESOMEWHERE, BELLE OF BROOKLYN, TAIMATE ANGUS, ON MARKET Burnham trainer Mark Jones is going through an experimental process with Some Excusesomewhere, who could eventually join his Sydney stable if not sold in the interim. The Overport Lodge team were to the fore with their three runners at Marlborough on Friday with Some Excusesomewhere and Belle Of Brooklyn saluting, and one-win squaregaiter Taimate Angus, finishing strongly for second to Red Hot Poker in the rating 49 & faster trot. However, all three, could find new homes as ready-made racing propositions if there is buyer interest. “As everyone knows I am …
French Flair at Penrith
TRES VITE DELIVERS AT PENRITH Big Bettor’s Delight filly Tres Vite lived up to her French name on debut in New South Wales at Penrith on Thursday, June 21. Tres Vite, French for “very fast”, unwound quickly with a well-timed finish for driver Chris Geary to win in a career best 1:57.4 mile rate for the 1720m. She settled back in the running line from an outside second row barrier, but the $2.20 favourite was on the improve with cover to be within striking distance of the leaders turning for home. Raced by NZ breeders, Stewart Gillan and Kevin Watson, …
Delightful Memphis USA bound
NZ HARNESS NEWS June 19, 2018 DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS FOR USA High quality mare Delightful Memphis is headed to North America. After racing in Sydney for the first half of the year, the daughter of Bettor’s Delight will round out her track career in New Jersey for former Kiwi trainer, Nifty Norman. Trainer Mark Jones confirmed the move this week and says she is due to fly out on the next available flight in the coming weeks. The five-time Group 1 placegetter in New Zealand has been a handy, but not outstanding, performer across the ditch, winning five races but going …
Blueblood filly gets job done at Oamaru
NZ HARNESS NEWS, jUNE 18, 2018 BLUEBLOOD FILLY GETS JOB DONE ON DEBUT It takes a nice horse for Mark Jones to put the driving gear on these days, particularly on a Sunday. So, the writing was on the wall when M P Jones was listed as the raceday driver of debutant pacer Naiya Franco at Oamaru on Sunday. And in true Jones fashion, victory was delivered. But Jones revealed post the well-bred filly’s successful debut, that despite showing plenty of potential around home, it was more the daughter of Mach Three’s manners that led to him jumping in the …
New recruits to join Sydney stable
Impressive Christmas maiden graduate Rock N Joy will soon join the Sydney stable at Menangle, Mark pointing to some good opportunities there in making the call. In a move to get the best earning potential and broodmare value out of the royally-bred filly, Mark hopes to send her home to her owners with a good race record and a quick time at Menangle, all going well. “Being a daughter of Joyfuljoy (11 NZ wins, 1:51.6 USA) she has a lot of value later on in the matrons paddocks,” said Mark. “Knocking around in New Zealand trying to find opportuinities outside …
A-team head to Melbourne
Top mares head Victorian charge Delightful Memphis and Rocker Band are in Melbourne awaiting the $30,000 Allied Express Jodies Babe (mares) at Melton this Saturday night. Mark and Ash Grives have sent the mares south from the Sydney base to contest the Group event, and Mark is pretty happy with the draws for the 1720m feature, and their condition going into it. “Ashlee is realy happy with them. We are obviously there because we feel the horses are well and ready to go,” said Mark. “Betty (Delightful Memphis) is bright as a button again. Backing her up last time after …
Whittaker breaks 1:50 in Chariots
Sportswriter four-year-old Whittaker paced the mile in 1:49.54 in finishing fourth in the Chariots Of Fire behind the smart Jilliby Kung Fu at Menangle last Saturday night. Driver and caretaker trainer Ashlee Grives positioned him four-deep on the marker line and they rallied strongly in the run home, his sectionals proof that he could not have gone any better, an amazing run. Whittaker paced his final 800m in 53.05 and 400m in 26.44 in a staggeringly-quick Chariots, his final splits bettered only by Let It Ride (53.01) and Gotta Go Ya Hu (52.85). Whittaker continues a super run of form …
Saveapatrol out again – but should be back
NZ HARNESS NEWS Saveapatrol broke down yet again last week but his trainer, Mark Jones, is not about to throw the towel in just yet. The eight-year-old Christian Cullen gelding cracked a pastern in his near side hind leg and now has two screws in each of his pasterns. Jones has pretty much lost count of the number of times Saveapatrol has gone amiss but he can add up operations on six occasions. “Cracked bones are not as bad as tendon and suspensory injuries because once they’re healed the bone is stronger than it was before the break,” said Jones. …
From Menangle to Otaki from the couch
Three wins a long way apart Mark Jones thought he’d achieved something rather cool when he sat on his couch and watched Sheeza Sport and Majestic Lavros win at Otaki and Wyndham respectively last Sunday. It was after all, Jones’ second and third winners in the space of about 18 hours, and a special hat-trick at that. “I don’t know if too many trainers would have won one at Menangle (Whittaker), one at Wyndham, and another at Otaki within a 24-hour period – I’m going to claim it, anyway,” he laughed. “And I did it all from the couch!” “One …
Whittaker wins big to grab Chariots spot
The decision by Mark Jones to start a satellite stable in Sydney is paying dividends, evidenced by Whittaker’s win in the Group 3 A$40,800 Paleface Adios Stakes at Menangle on Saturday night. The 1.53.9 mile-rate win earned the son of Sportswriter a berth in next Saturday night’s Group 1 A$200,000 Chariots Of Fire. Jones, naturally, was thrilled with the outcome. “It’s a big thrill to get him in there for his owner, Greg Brodie, and it justifies the big move to have a barn in Sydney. “I need flagship horses and they need to win and get in to the …