Category Archive

EYRE I COME LOOKS FOR ANOTHER INTERMEDIATE TROT Although nominated for the Group One $80,000 National Trot at Auckland on New Year’s eve, Eyre I Come will attempt to win a $20,000 rating 67-plus trot instead. “We’ll just keep him in his own grade. It was good winning his first run up there this time on Thursday and we’ll be happy if he can win another like that, rather than go into the big one,” Mark said. Eyre I Come notched his second win right-handed at Alexandra Park in the hands of Blair Orange at the Auckland meeting on Thursday, …

TWO JUVENILE PACING COLTS QUALIFY AT ASHBURTON Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones qualified two 2YO pacing colts at the Ashburton trials on Tuesday, December 20, including Squire(Aus), who he purchased for $47,000 at the Sydney Australia Pacing Gold Yearling Sale on February 27. Squire(Aus) settled fourth for Mark and pierced through between runners over the final 150m in the second 2YO colts and geldings trial, finishing just over half a length from the the Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen-trained Ashley Locaz (2c Bettor’s Delight-Ashley Cullen). Ashley Locaz settled one place ahead of Squire(Aus) and did just enough to win, edging …

MASTER LAVROS OVERCOMES EARLY BREAK IN COMEBACK WIN Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones has decided against travelling Master Lavros to Auckland for the Group One National Trot on December 31, instead electing to take him to Central Otago for a free-for-all trot on January 2. “His leg scanned good this morning (Saturday) but he will not go to Auckland and head to Omakau instead,” Mark said. After weighing up the options, the Master Lavros team have gone with a more feasible target, even though he’ll be racing for $9000 at Omakau, instead of $80,000 on offer at Auckland. Ultimately, his …

MASTER LAVROS SCHEDULED TO RACE AT ADDINGTON Top squaregaiter Master Lavros is scheduled to make his race return at Addington on Friday, December 16, after coming through his Rangiora workout last Wednesday. “He went nice but didn’t trot great up the straight,” said Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones. However, precautionary scans taken of the horse’s injured leg and have come back good. The plan is to race the giant-sized squaregaiter in the $13,000 mobile 2600m free-for-all on Friday. Mark crossed from the five gate with Master Lavros to trail stablemate Senorita Margarita in the early stages of the C0 and …

ROBBIE CLOSE 2ND TO TODD McCARTHY IN AUSTRALASIA YDC Overport Lodge driver Robbie Close has gone within a whisker of notching back-to-back Australasian Young Drivers Championship victories. Robbie, winner of both the 2015 New Zealand Junior series and Australasian YDC, was tied with New South Welshman Todd McCarthy going into the final heat of the 2015 Perth AYDC series, but his drive, former Kiwi Mighty Flying Thomas, raced below his best,  dropping away to finish second-to-last. McCarthy, driving another ex-Kiwi in Bronze Seeker, was able to finish two places closer and claim the series on 73 points, two ahead of …

DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS REVERSES ROLES WITH SPANISH ARMADA Delightful Memphis, and driver Blair Orange, made the most of drawing inside arch-rival Spanish Armada to post their second Alabar Sires Stakes 3YO Fillies Heat win of the season. She was a comfortable winner of the $19,800 Auckland Alabar Sires Heat in the build-up to the big $150,000 final at Auckland on December 31. The Mark Jones-trained filly, who won the first heat at Addington on October 12 and had to settle for second to Spanish Armada in their Addington heat clash on November 25, turned the tables in the Auckland heat on …

MASTER LAVROS SOLID IN COMEBACK RANGIORA TRIAL Former Trotter of the Year Master Lavros made a pleasing public return at the Rangiora trials on Tuesday, November 29. Driven by Regan Todd off a 50m handicap in the C1 and faster trot, the big Sundon gelding began well and followed his three rivals round, not being asked to over exert himself first-up. He ran to the line without being hurried behind Victorian visitor, Kyvalley Blur (Bob Butt), who was too good after trailing The Best Beg. Kyvalley Blur, third in both the NZ Trotting Free-For-All and Dominion Handicap during NZ Cup …

ARIADNE LAVRA WINS; MASTER LAVROS TO TRIAL ON TUESDAY Ariadne Lavra’s smart win in a $10,600 C1-2 pace at Geraldine on Saturday, November 26, may lead to an even brighter December for Overport Lodge owner Kypros Kotzikas, and trainer Mark Jones. Mr Kotzikas’s star trotter Master Lavros had his first track hit-out on Sunday for the Overport Lodge team after being sidelined since last December. “He will trial on Tuesday at Rangiora and all going well may race on December 16 at Addington,” Mark said. The NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club have a mobile 2600m free-for-all trot programmed, which may be …

ADDINGTON-ORARI DOUBLE FOR HATTON-OWNED HORSES It was a good two days last weekend for the Hatton family and Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones, snaring a winning double with comeback trotter Eyre I Come at Addington on Friday, November 25, and a penalty-free C1 pacing win with Real Torque at Orari on Saturday, November 26. Eyre I Come’s front-running win in the hands of Samantha Ottley at Addington on Friday was “big bonus” according to Mark, who felt he would be better with race. “He’s a day-to-day horse so anything we get is a bonus. It was a good win fresh-up …

ROCKER BAND DELIVERS IN SLICK AUCKLAND WIN Rocker Band, despite giving Samantha Ottley a difficult drive, shook off her Alexandra Park hoodoo with a slick win in a 1:54.9 mile rate (1700m) at Auckland on Friday, November 4, 2016. The well-performed racemare was rewarded at her ninth start right-handed at Auckland when taking out the the $13,999 Movenpick Mile (1700m) in the open in 2:01.4. Northern mare Better Be Amazed holds the NZ mares record for the trip at 1:59.9 (1:53.5 mile rate), set at Auckland in April. Rocker Band, winner of the $150,000 Harness Jewels 4YO Mares Diamond at …