Category Archive

PLUTONIUM LADY, BURNHAM BOY WIN AT GORE, SAM SCORES 400TH WIN Burnham trainer Mark Jones has always been a fan of Southern Harness racing. He loves to head south to set up his three-year-olds for both the Southern Supremacy Stakes and the Southland Oaks later in the season. In consecutive races at Gore (Saturday, October 12, 2019) he produced a couple of those age group pacers that look capable of featuring in both those finals at Ascot Park in April. Plutonium Lady easily won the $15,000 Ladyship Final beating hot favourite Need You Now by six lengths after leading and …

MENANGLE METROPOLITAN PRIZEMONEY TO RISE For the majority of the industry, it’s the ‘bread and butter’ races that really matter. So owners and trainers will be thrilled to hear Club Menangle has announced quite substantial increases to those regular races by adding to the levels of metropolitan prizemoney. The changes, which commence from 1 November 2019, include: • Minimum prizemoney on a metropolitan program rising from $11,000 to $14,000; • Tier-3 prizemoney going up from $16,000 to $18,000; • Tier-2 prizemoney races will increase from $22,000 to $24,000; • The premier club will also introduce a second $20,000 division of …

Brendon Hill and Mark Jones – Elite Racing Combining forces was never really on the radar until two of our leading horsemen came together several weeks ago and realised they were both singing from the same sheet. The discussion involved their own businesses, the state of the industry, but importantly their passion and desire to not only continue but become better. A few meetings followed, some hard-edged question and answer sessions, mainly financially based, and out the other end came a partnership, Brendon Hill and Mark Jones deciding the time was right to diversify and move forward. “Exciting” is how …

NEW FAST 10 CONCEPT FOR ADDINGTON IN DECEMBER Fast 10 Horse Racing is arriving this December. Quick Horse Racing Ltd is excited to be bringing you a world first, Fast10 Horse Racing – a live action packed daytime event at Addington Raceway on 20th December 2019, starting from 11.30am. Fast10 Horse Racing is combining the best of racing for our true racing enthusiasts along with an exciting, action packed event including a colourful array of entertainment. This event will include ten races each featuring 10 horses in just over 2 ½ hours! Fast10 is the next level of racing – …

Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones was very saddened by the passing of former Balcairn trainer Maurice Bailey at Burwood Hospital, Christchurch, on September 29. Maurice, who died aged 87, was a great supporter of Mark in his early junior driving day. The North Canterbury trainer enjoyed a top strike rate with a small team until retiring from training in 2000. He was instrumental in lifting Mark’s profile in his first year as a junior driver, putting him on a big mover in the trot ranks in Andrew Eyre. Just two months after Mark scored his first career win with Lord …

AMANDA GRIEVE CHASING VICTORIA CUP WITH CRUZ BROMAC By Jeff Scott Expatriate NZ horsewoman Amanda Grieve, a good friend of Overport Lodge reinswoman Sam Ottley, has been entrusted wth the training of established Australasian Grand Circuit star, Cruz Bromac, in Victoria. The highly-regarded Kiwi won first-up with Cruz Bromac at Kilmore last Thursday and now goes straight into the Group One $A250,000 Victoria Cup at Melton on Saturday week (October 12). Cruz Bomac, a winner of of $A555,815 from 21 wins and eight placings in 42 starts, including last year’s Group Two Len Smith Mile at Menangle in 1:50.1, has …

TAKARA TRUFFLE, ROCK N JOY, WIN AT TAMWORTH The New South Wales arm of the Mark Jones/Aaron Goadsby stable scored a short-priced winning double at Tamworth on Wednesday with Rock N Joy and Takara Truffle. Both delivered as $2.20 favourites, with NZ-bred Takara Truffle (1:52.8) became a $A100,000 winner with her 15th win from 30 starts. The six-year-old American Ideal mare overcame a back row three draw to improve to trail over the final lap and held fellow ex-Kiwi Blue Blazer by 7.7 metres in a 1:57.6 rate for the 1980m. Takara Truffle’s dam, the unraced Truffle (McArdle-Lesdale Rube), is …

Smart pacing filly Stylish Memphis may miss an early heat of the Sires Stakes series but will soon be back on the race track, says Mark. The full-sister to former star filly Deligthful Memphis (Bettor’s Delight – Memphis Melody), who currently plys her trade in North America, is due back to the workouts soon and good things are expected this season. “She will miss the first heat and be back trialling at the end of October,” said Mark this week. “We have given her a nice slow build up and it will be a long season. Whether she heads south …

FORMER OVERPORT “IZZY” WINS AT PENRITH Former Overport Lodge pacer Izzy Dagg resumed with a first-up win at Penrith, NSW, for the Tim Butt stable on Thursday, September 26. The horse, named after the colourful former All Black and Crusader star, and now media personality, was initially co-owned by the sportstar himself for his only NZ win Addington as a spring 3YO on August 3, 2018. However, the Australian money came calling after the Addington win. The equine Izzy Dagg, despite being rated well above average by trainer Mark Jones, was soon sold to the developing Tim Butt stable at …

FAMILY CREDITS CONTINUE FOR YEARLING BUY Bettor’s Fire, the uncle of this year’s $100,000 yearling filly Overport Lodge buy La Rosa, has surpassed the equivalent of $NZ1 million in earning. Formerly a winner of 11 of 30 NZ starts for $79,192, for Mark Joneses former boss, Cran Dalgety, Bettor’s Fire went on to be a big winner of over $A815,000 in Perth under the direction of Kyle Harper. Exported to North America last year, the evergreen Bettor’s Delight-Sparks A Flyin gelding won four on end. Now 11, he’s lowered his lifetime best to 1:50.1 (fifth) on a five-furlong (1000m) track …