Viotorian icon dies

J Scott Latest News

GORDON ROTHACKER DIES The Australian harness racing industry is mourning the loss of its most iconic figure after the passing of Mr Gordon W Rothacker in hospital on Tuesday night, November 16, aged 81. Harness Racing Victoria’s highest individual award, the Gordon Rothacker Medal, is named in his honour, but Gordon was sadly unable to attend the presentation which was only held last Saturday night.   Gordon Rothacker won a record 14 Melbourne Drivers’ Premierships between 1949 and 1973, as well capturing 10 Melbourne Trainers’ Premierships between 1953 and 1976.   He was the first reinsman to land 500 winners …

San Fran Lady unbeaten in NSW

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SAN FRAN LADY WINS GROUP THREE FEATURE   San Fran Lady, sold out of the Mark Jones stable in September, won the Group Three $A30,000 Sky Super Sprint Series Final (C3-5) at Newcastle, New South Wales, on November 6.   The capable Live Or Die mare held other NZ-bred mares in Tara Royale and Lady Peyton, with former Canterbury mares Vienna Bromac (5th) and Asset Rich (6th). San Fran Lady ran 1:57.8 for the 1609m to win the final, but paced a quicker 1:56.2 at Newcastle the previous week. She is now unbeaten in four NSW starts for trainer Shane …

Three-Year-old fillies qualify

J Scott Former News, Latest News

    BRODIE-OWNED FILLIES QUALIFY LATE OCTOBER   Courage Talks and Honey Delight, 3YO filly stablemates who qualified at Motukarara on Wednesday, October 28, were scheduled to debut at Forbury Park on Saturday week (November 6). “They both go quite good. Hopefully they can keep up,” said trainer Mark Jones, who prepares the pair for Queensland owner Greg Brodie. The Burnham trainer took a day off off from driving on Wednesday, but observed intently from the sidelines. Courage Talks, a 3YO filly sister to the capable 2 win pacer Talk About Courage _ racetimed in 1:57.1 mile when second to …

Tiz Tough useful qualifier

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SYNDICATE LOOKING FOR CHANGE OF LUCK Tiz Tough, a useful qualifier for the Mark Jones stable at the NZ Cup trials at Addington on Wednesday, November 3, will be trying to bring a change of luck to a Leeston syndicate in her scheduled race debut at Motukarara on November 29. “The Red And Blue Syndicate have leased a half-share. They’ll race her with Peter Fry from Nelson, who bought her mainly to breed from,” Mark said. The 3YO Falcon Seelster filly is from the useful Soky’s Atom mare Tizaway Tiz (five wins), a grand-daughter of the late Alister Kerslake-trained former …

Mark brings up 100th training win

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MARK JONES HITS 100 WITH RANSOM OLDS Burnham trainer Mark Jones brought up a century of NZ training wins without much fanfare in a cheap Tuesday maiden race with Ransom Olds at the Riverton Trotting Club’s meeting on Tuesday, October 26. He is also around $22,000 shy of training the winners of $1 million in NZ. His first training win came when only in his second season as a senior driver. He took out a licence to train while working for West Melton trainer Cran Dalgety, and prepared trotter Man O Man, to score at Oamaru on September 22, 2002, …

Jill Smolenski an asset to stable

J Scott Former News, Latest News

JILL SMOLENSKI MAKES STRONG CONTRIBUTION   Burnham trainer Mark Jones considered his eighth training win for the season a bonus after In Like Magic scored a deserved win in the Travelsmart Garden City Trot at Addington on Friday, October 15. “Jill Smolenski came to work for me about six weeks ago and brought In Like Magic with her,” Mark said. “She works in the mornings and is an asset to the stable. She works fast and has us all busy keeping up with her,” he said. Jill doesn’t have her own training licence, so In Like Magic was officially transferred …

Ransom Olds likely to race in Aust

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AUSSIE INTEREST IN INVERCARGILL WINNER Ransom Olds, who rejoined the Mark Jones stable only a week before he delivered at the Riverton meeting at Invercargill on October 26, is likely to join the export list before long. “There’s been interest from Aussie for him,” Mark said. “He was pretty good last season but got knocked over in the 2YO Sires Stakes Final at Addington (May 21).” “He ended up with 12 stitches in a foot and only went to the Jewels at Cambridge (June 5) to get the appearance money ($5000).” “He still had the stitches in when he raced …

Smoken Up coming for NZ Cup

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MENANGLE MILE FRIDAY, THEN NZ CUP If anybody seriously suspected that Smoken Up’s first loss in almost seven months would subdue Lance Justice’s trademark confidence ahead of his second straight sortie across the Tasman for the $750,000 New Zealand Cup, they were sadly mistaken. Beaten but not bowed by former Victorian Horse of the Year Melpark Major in Kilmore’s signature sprint – the Popular Alm – on October 24, Australia’s fastest pacer is heading to Menangle and the 1609-metre Brian Hancock Cup en route to a date with destiny at Addington raceway on November 9. And last year’s leading Metropolitan …

HRNZ to develop trot series

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HRNZ COMMITTED TO ALTERNATIVE TROT SERIES At the Harness Racing Australia (HRA) Annual General Meeting on Monday, October 18, a number of changes were agreed to for the future conduct of the Inter Dominion Championships. Key changes agreed were: Introduction of a tender system for the conduct of the Pacers Championship for 2013-2015 by eligible cities, in contrast to the present rotation system; and Rebranding of the current Trotters Championship to avoid confusion with the Pacers Series. These changes agreed by HRA are to be considered by the Board of Harness Racing New Zealand at its meeting on 8 November. …

Mark Jones driving in Origin series

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MARK JONES DRIVING IN INAUGURAL ORIGIN SERIES   The Auckland Trotting Club is pleased to announce the inaugural Island Of Origin Drivers Series, to be run at Alexandra Park on November 5, 2010. The series will see New Zealand’s leading driver’s competing on the track to secure top honours for their Island of Origin. The chosen drivers will be representing the Island they were born in, with the following teams selected: North Island David Butcher (Pukekohe), Peter Ferguson (North Shore), Tony Herlihy (Te Awamutu), Todd Mitchell (Cambridge), Mark Purdon (Pukekohe), James Stormont (Pukekohe). South Island Anthony Butt (Christchurch), Dexter Dunn …