ADDINGTON, JUNE 25 Race 3: BETTOR UNDER FIRE (10, Sam Ottley) stand. 2600m: “He’s racing well. He’ll need to step good from out wide but he looks to have a pretty good show there if he can. He may go out after this. I’d like to spell him and have him back up again next season as he will do a nice job.”
BETTY ON SONG FOR ALBION PARK
Delightful Memphis is in good shape for her first Australian start, the $11,500 C2 mobile at Albion Park, Brisbane, on Saturday night (June 17). Mark reports she has come through the travel well, and he is hopeful she will show her good form in her first look at the track this weekend. “She’s well, worked along pretty nicely this morning (Thursday),” said Mark. “When you are not quite sure of the form it is hard to line her up against the opposition. But you’d like to think she’d be more than competitive back in the grade. “We’ll just have to see …
One for Nelson
Nelson, Fri, June 11 ROCKNROLL NEVIN (Race 7, 2400m stand, John Dunn) “She didn’t run on as much as I’d have liked the first day, but in a tough field. She doesn’t really get much of a drop in class here, either. Hoping for some luck to grab a place.”
“Betty” second again to Spanish Armada
DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS TRIES HARD IN JEWELS Overport Lodge filly Delightful Memphis fought gallantly but was second best again to dominant 3YO pacing filly and her nemesis Spanish Armada in the $150,000 Mid Canterbury Trotting Owners Assn 3YO Diamond at Ashburton on Saturday, June 3. Despite the best intentions of driver Blair Orange trying to hold up from the inside draw, Delightful Memphis, otherwise known round the stable as “Betty”, couldn’t muster the necessary acceleration close to the start point to hold out Northerner Juice Brogden, who crossed her easily from the two gate. She ended up three back on the …
Kowhai Monarch lowers mile best
KOWHAI MONARCH TROTS 1:57.1 AT MENANGLE Kowhai Monarch lowered his career mile trot best to 1:57.1 with his second Menangle win for the Mark Jones stable on Saturday, June 3. The 4YO Monarchy-Surprising gelding pressed forward from the five gate in the Campbelltown Warriors Trotters Mobile, led, trailed at the 400m and finished bet for driver Ashlee Grives. Kowhai Monarch drew clear by 2.3 metres from fellow NZ-bred Dieu De Lamour (Love You-The Sun Goddess), followed homeby Sunset Tour, Rompers Monarchy and Nickelson. He racked up his seventh career win from 43 starts, taking his earnings past $A51,000 for owners …
Major Lucky for NSW
MAJOR LUCKY HEADS TO SYDNEY Major Lucky has been withdrawn from the $150,000 Commodore Airport Hotel 2YO Harness Jewels Emerald at Ashburton on June 3 after failing to stay in touch with his former All Stars stablemates at Addington this month. “He has gone to Robbie Morris in Sydney as he purchased him (for owner Greg Brodie). I was just looking after him,” said Overport Lodge trainer, Mark Jones. A well-developed Art Major half-brother to last season’s top NZ 2YO More The Better, Major Lucky was race-placed in 1:54.9 in NZ and shouldn’t be hard to place in New South …
Major Lucky trying to live up to name
MAJOR LUCKY LOOKING FOR LUCK IN 2YO FEATURES New Overport Lodge acquisiton Major Lucky is only likely to remain briefly in Canterbury for a crack at this month’s 2YO features. While it is virtually impossible to improve the horse from top All Stars trainers, Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen, his connections are hoping he holds his form. With a touch of luck he could pick up some useful money in those races for his new Gold Coast owner Greg Brodie. “He (Major Lucky) seems fine. We know he is below the top ones so he’s just here for the PGG …
Ice Crusher wins at Redcliffe
ICE CRUSHER SOLD, WINS FIRST-UP IN QUEENSLAND Former Overport Lodge pacer Ice Crusher, sold out of the Mark Jones stable last month, was a first-up winner in Queensland at Redcliffe on Thursday, May 4. The 4YO Christian Cullen-Helena Kilena gelding was caught three wide early from the second row then led over the last lap as a short $1.80 favourite for new trainer Darrell Graham. Ice Crusher won by 8.2 metres in a 1:59.2 rate for the 2040m, pacing his last 800m in 59.2s and closing 400m in 29.4s. He earlier won two and was three times placed in 15 …
Top pacer Saveapatrol retired
SAVEAPATROL RETIRED AFTER LATEST SETBACK It was a bitter-sweet occasion for owner Grant Hatton the night he scored his first Group One win as a co-owner of NZ Trotting Championship winner, Eyre I Come. The horse he thought may have been his first Group One winner in Saveapatrol was retired after going amiss again a couple of days out from the Addington premier meeting on April 7. Saveapatrol, good enough to beat triple New Zealand Cup winner Terror To Love, and another New Zealand Cup winner in Arden Rooney, in the Group Three 2014 Invercargill Cup, was plagued by soundness …
Kowhai Monarch scores first-up Menangle win
KOWHAI MONARCH WINS AT MENANGLE FOR STABLE The New South Wales arm of the Mark Jones stable scored a win first-up with useful trotter Kowhai Monarch at Menangle on Saturday, April 8. Driven by Ashlee Grives (nee Siejka), who is assisting Mark with a satellite Overport Lodge extension in to NSW, the big Monarchy gelding led early, was eased 3 back and finished best as a $2.70 favourite in the T2 or better $11,000 Allied Express _ National Distribution Trotters Discretionary Handicap. Kowhai Monarch trotted the 2300m (stand) in 2:54.5 (2:02.1 mile rate), with the leaders running their last 800m …