MAIDEN BONUS RACE FOR ADDINGTON Addington Raceway & Events Centre and the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club (NZMTC) are pleased to announce an innovative new year incentive with the running of the Pre Christmas Day Maiden Bonus race on its first Premier Night of harness racing in 2013. The race, on Friday Feburary 1, will be eligible for pacers who were assessed as non-winners as at Christmas Day 2012. Field selection will be based on points earned in all Totalisator races in New Zealand from 25 December 2012 up to and including 29 January 2013. Points will be awarded as …
Saveapatrol smart in Motukarara workout
SAVEAPATROL STRONG RUN IN WORKOUT Promising 3YO Saveapatrol stepped up at the Motukarara workouts on Saturday January 12 in preparation for his next start at the Northern Southland meeting on Thursday. The Christian Cullen gelding confirmed his potential with a 6 3/4 lengths maiden victory at Winton on December 22 for Burnham trainer Mark Jones. He was just as impressive beating multiple winners in the free-for-all workout, accounting for Monifieth, and well-performed mare Talaspring, back in Canterbury with Lew Driver for the upcoming feature mares races. Talaspring, formerly leased by the late Doug Mangos and back with her owner, was …
NZ Cup Week ‘Lavros” double
CUP WEEK ‘LAVROS’ DOUBLE Master Lavros confirmed he’s an excitement machine with a final mile in 1:58.9 and a closing 800m in 56.7s to win again with removable hood still intact at Addington on Show day. The giant-sized Sundon gelding made it a winning Cup week double for owner Kypros Kotzikas and Burnham trainer-driver Mark Jones. This time he again stepped brilliantly off the unruly to lead throughout, taking out the $14,999 Lone Star Riccarton Handicap Trot by 3 1/2 lengths from trailer Yankee One, stopping the timer in 3:21 for the entire 2600m. The $1.50 win favourite wasn’t …
Long Cool Woman wins qualifier
LONG COOL WOMAN RUNS CLEAR IN TRIAL Long Cool Woman, a three-year-old Extreme Three filly in the Mark Jones stable, qualified in style with a three lengths win at Rangiora on Monday, November 10. Driven by Regan Todd, the Paul Nixon-bred and owned filly trailed, went clear at the 600m, and was always in control from that point, pacing the the mobile 2000m in 2:33.5 (2:03.4 mile rate). The leaders quickened over their last 800m in 58s and final 400m in 28.4s. She won as she liked from the Tim Butt-trained Armbro Teehee. Long Cool Woman is from Oh Carol …
Winning treble with squaregaiters
SQUAREGAITERS WIN AT THREE DIFFERENT VENUES Burnham trainer Mark Jones advanced to 16 training wins for the season with a winning trot treble December 7-9 _ Master Lavros (Auckland), Commander Jewel (Timaru) and Juneamy Castleton (Methven) _ taking the stable earnings to $108,315 for the term. The team also picked up seconds with pacers, Suerte and Alex, at Timaru, and newcomer Cup Day Spur, in the 1-2 win trot at Methven. “They were all in the right races,” Mark said. A return to winning form for former New Zealand Trotting Oaks winner Commander Jewel was pleasing at Timaru after …
Saveapatrol comes clear in qualifier
SAVEAPATROL TO HEAD SOUTH AFTER WINNING QUALIFIER Saveapatrol, untroubled to win his Addington qualifier on Monday, December 3, 2012, in 2:32.2 for the mobile 2000m, is to head south for his early racing this month. “He’ll qualify down there for the Southern Supremacy,” said Burnham trainer Mark Jones. The Christian Cullen gelding, also Harness plus eligible, was shaping as his best 2YO in the stable last term, until problems arose. Mark says it may have been a blessing he had to be put aside. Bred by Australian Peter Chambers from the good Falcon Seelster mare Rondel Franco (1:51.6, US, 37 …
Alex rewarded at Addington
WELL-TIMED LATE FINISH FROM ALEX Alex, rewarded for consistency in the 1-win Dakins Rent A Loo Christmas Party Mobile Pace at Addington on Friday, November 30, will continue to race for the Mark Jones stable for another month, but will ultimately race in Australia. “His owner Greg Brodie will race him over there. He’ll do a good job in suitable races there,” said trainer Mark Jones. “He’s not a star, but a good honest horse,” he said. Friday’s win by Alex, a brother to good-winning mare Glenferrie Alexis (1:55.9, Aust) and the capable Jackaroozy (1:56.2, Aust), was a …
Selected NZ races qualify for NSW features
HRNZ MEDIA RELEASE, NOVEMBER 29, 2012 NZ RACES QUALIFY TO EARN STARTS IN NSW FEATURES In conjunction with the New South Wales Harness Racing Club (NSWHR), Harness Racing New Zealand is pleased to announce that New Zealand horses will be able to qualify directly for two Australian $200,000 feature races. LADYSHIP MILE The Cordina Chickens Ladyship Mile is a Group 1 invitation race for mares that is to be run at Tabcorp Park, Menangle on 3 March 2013. Winners of the following Group 1 New Zealand races will be extended a direct invite by NSWHR to the Ladyship Mile: Rosslands …
‘GP’ wins on Motukarara grass
THE LUTTS HOLDS TENACIOUSLY The Lutts appreciated a significant drop back in grade from premier racing at Addington on Show day to score in the 1-2 wins All Signed Up/Kentuckiana Lodge Special Handicap Pace at Motukarara on Sunday, November 25. The 4YO Western Terror gelding, the second favourite in an open race, was sent to the front by Burnham trainer-driver Mark Jones and held tenaciously by a head from outsider Anntoro. Favourite Delightful Blue ran third with another roughie, Town Icon, running into fourth. “My ‘ GP’ (galloping pacemaker) winning _ thats how bad my team is,” Mark chuckled …
Cup week successful for Club
SUCCESSFUL LINDAUER RACEDAY Three days after a highly successful Cup Day at Addington last Tuesday, Lindauer Race Day (Show Day) followed the same pattern with a pleasing race day on and off-course. Crowd numbers were healthy with some 7000 race goers enjoying their sunny day at the track. These numbers contributed to a total turnover in 2012 of $3,214,047 exceeding last year by $397,070 or 14%. The Woodlands New Zealand Free-For-All over the mile was taken out by Gold Ace in a swift time of 1:52.6 just half a second outside the New Zealand record held jointly by Smolda and …