Category Archive

JELLIGNITE LOWERS CAREER BEST AS 8YO Former Overport Lodge pacer (My) Jellignite paced a career best 1:52 even at Menangle, New South Wales, last Saturday, April 16. Now eight, Jellignite won 10 of 38 NZ starts for $62,712 for trainer Mark Jones. Mark suggested to owner, the late Mrs Pat Campbell, Jellignite be transferred to Australia for better race opportunities. Jellignite, a Courage Under Fire gelding from two-win Slugger mare Wytchwood Spirit, continued to earn solidly for the last four years for Mrs Campbell, who followed his weekly progress via TAB Trackside. Mrs Campbell, who died in January this year, …

OHOKA TEXAS NOTCHES FIRST WIN OF YEAR IN USA Former good-winning Overport Lodge pacer Ohoka Texas continues extend his career in North America. Now eight to NZ time and nine to North American time, the Christian Cullen-Millwood Touche entire gained his first win of the year in 10 starts at Yonkers Raceway, New York, on April 15. Racing for the Peter Tritton stable, Ohoka Texas settled third from the ace draw in a $US14,000 pace and won by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:54.4 (fifths). Ohoka Texas, a grandson of former Auckland Cup placegetter Quiet Touch (1:57.8, 10 wins), won 12 …

LATE PAYMENT LIKELY FOR ‘MEMPHIS’ IN CADUCEUS CLASSIC Connections of Overport Lodge filly Delightful Memphis are likely to make a late payment for a crack at the $110,000 Group One Woodlands Stud Caduceus Club Fillies Classic at Auckland on Friday week, April 22. Trainer Mark Jones says all his owners are keen. “We went last night (Friday) to give her a run with the Caduceus in mind and she competed well,” Mark said. Delightful Memphis wasn’t rushed early in her first start right-handed, but Mark was on the move with her once fully balanced with a lap to run. She …

TOP STABLEMATES ON LONG ROAD BACK FROM INJURIES Top class Overport Lodge stablemates, Master Lavros and Saveapatrol, are both making satisfactory progress on the comeback trail for next season. Former Trotter of the Year and dual Dominion Handicap winner Master Lavros has begun excerising again after a hind suspensory injury derailed his season in Auckland in December. “The leg scanned up real good,” Mark said. “He looks like he will return to stable in a month as he has been at Brian Court’s on the water-walker and treadmill,” he said. Master Lavros, who will be eight next term, has won …

NSWHRC CHANGES TO SATURDAY NIGHT MIRACLE MILE Saturday night has become the “home” of Tabcorp Park Menangle’s metropolitan meetings each week. Now the Miracle Mile is ready to make the move as well, with the revelation the 2017 Miracle Mile would be run on a Saturday night. While this year’s finale was deemed an outstanding success, the one fault racegoers found was that the Sunday afternoon racing was too hot for both patrons – and horses. So the NSW Harness Racing Club this week decided to move the 2017 Miracle Mile to a Saturday night. It will be the 50th …

TEXAS TERROR TAKES LEG OF LEVY MEMORIAL IN 1:51 Texas Terror, sold after finishing fourth at his lone NZ 2YO start for Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones at Winton six years ago, was the fastest elimination winner of the Geore Morton Levy Memorial Series at Yonkers Raceway, New York, on Sunday (NZ time). Now eight, the Western Terror-Alicia Maree gelding won his $US50,000 elimination heat in a lifetime best of 1:51 around the half-mile Yonkers circuit. Texas Terror ran fourth behind former NZ Sapling Stakes winner Monaghan in a 2YO mile, won in 1:59, at Winton, before doing a solid …

ROCKER BAND TOO CLASSY IN SOUTHERN BELLE SPEED FINAL Maturing 4YO mare Rocker Band wasn’t fazed by travelling the length of the NZ within a week to take out the $19,743 Southern Belle Speed Series Final at Winton on Saturday, March 19. The daughter of Rocknroll Hanover and Mainland Banner ran a strong second to Lusty Mac in the $40,000 Northern Mares Classic at Auckland on Friday, March 11, then flew into Christchurch the next morning. She trekked south to Winton for the final leg of the Southern Belle Speed Series, after winning her heat in a career best 1:53.3 …

PAINTLAB 4 JONTY NEW ZEALAND TROTTING DERBY Addington is proud to announce that harness racing enthusiasts Nigel and Brenda Armstrong, of Paintlab Hornby, are the new business partner for the Group One $80,000 New Zealand Trotting Derby Race to be run on Friday, April 8. What is unbelievable about this sponsorship is Nigel and Brenda are gifting naming rights to this prestigious race to support the gorgeous 3-year-old Jonty Smolenski, who has a rare genetic syndrome called Trichothiodystrophy. The official name of the race will be Paintlab Racing 4 Jonty New Zealand Trotting Derby. Nigel commented: “We have known the …

DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS FOR GROUP THREE SOUTH FEATURE Delightful Memphis, impressive debut winner of the Group Three Leonard Memorial at Addington last Sunday, will chase back-to-back Group Three victories on Saturday week. Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones is sending her south for the $25,000 Caduceus Club Of Southland/Nevele R Stakes (mobile 2200m) at the Northern Southland feature meeting at Invercargill on March 12. The Bettor’s Delight-Memphis Melody filly turned around the harness racing fortunes around of cricket celebrity Simon Doull with her debut win at the Cheviot meeting. Mr Doull, a former NZ Black Cap and these days a Sky TV …

ROCKER BAND BEATS HUGHIE GREEN IN WORKOUT Classy Overport Lodge mare Rocker Band will be looking to end an unplaced run of four previous Auckland starts in the $20,000 Charles Roberts NISBA Stakes Mare Pace on Friday nihgt. Rocker Band dispelled any thoughts she isn’t as comfortable right-handed at Alexandra Park with a smart workout win at Auckland last Saturday, February 27. “Mango (Brent Mangos) was rapt the way she trialled,” said trainer Mark Jones. Rocker Band over-raced when beaten into third in the Group Two Premier Mares Championship at Addington on February 12 but was relaxed three and four …