SUNDON GIFT HITS MAGICAL MARK Sundons Gift’s status as a harness racing immortal is secure following his win in the Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown Graduate Trotters Free-For-All at Melton’s Tabcorp Park on Friday, August 20, 2010. The Chris Lang-trained superstar became the first Australian-prepared trotter to top $A1 million in prizemoney when he won the $A35,000 Group 2. (He was bred to achieve being by former champion squaregaiter and sire Sundon from Landora’s Gift, a 4-win daughter of Chiola Hanover and former top NZ trotting mare Landora’s Pride (34 wins and $472,842), who numbered wins in both NZ’s Group One …
Auber has Crown runner
VICTORIAN BROADCASTER HAS CROWN CHANCE As a broadcaster, form analyst and scribe, Rob Auber is a figure as tied to the image of Victorian harness racing as any in the sport. But it is in is his other guise, as owner and breeder, that his greatest passion for the industry lies, meaning it comes as little shock to hear the euphoria in his voice approaching Super Sunday and his first crack at racing immortality. Bellas Delight will line up for Auber and his team of owners as a maiden with only five career starts in the $A308,000 Group 1 two-year-old …
Kiwis smiling ahead of Crown
KIWIS SMILING AHEAD OF CROWN By Jason Bonnington Australia’s dwindling chances in the 3YO colts and geldings’ section of this year’s Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown plummeted further on Friday August 13 when Kiwis won both semi-finals. Reigning titleholder Smiling Shard put his rivals on notice when he sat parked but still proved far too good in the second semi-final in scintillating time. With fireworks from the outset Smiling Shard’s chief threat, countryman Kiwi Courage To Rule, struggled to hold the top from his inside draw and while he won that early battle it proved to be of little value with …
Breeders Crown barrier draws
BREEDERS CROWN BARRIERS DRAWN Franco Jamar was the big winner at the barrier draw for the headline race of next Sunday’s $1.56 million Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown finals day at Melton’s Tabcorp Park. The Steve Dolan-trained colt is poised to challenge for favouritism in the 3YO Colts & Geldings Final after landing the coveted inside alley, the position he started from when a scintillating semi-final winner on Friday night. The compatriot he run down, Devil Dodger, drew wide on the front line (six), while defending champion and second semi-final winner Smiling Shard drew awkwardly inside the back row (eight). Lanercost, …
2YOs’ in early workout run
2YOS’ IN RANGIORA WORKOUT RUN Two Mark Jones stablemates were the first South Island juveniles to step out publicly in the new season at the Rangiora workouts on Saturday, August 7. The promising 2YOs’ finished on terms at the end of the 2YO mobile 2000m pace, pleasing their trainer with their manners. They were turned out later in the afternoon for a six-seven weeks spell to develop further. Kristoff, a P-Forty-Seven colt, bred and owned by Trevor Casey, led up for much of the heat for catch-driver Wayne Higgs. Bedlam, a showy black Washington VC colt, bought out of the …
Posthumous award for Kahdon
POSTHUMOUS AWARD FOR KAHDON Ill-fated filly Kahdon joined an elite list of 3YO trotters to be voted NZ Trotter of the Year in Christchurch on Saturday, July 31. Kahdon, who lost her life to a bacterial infection in Australia on July 19, joins One Over Kenny (2005) and Sovereignty (2008) as previous age group champions to take out the coveted title. Voters gave Kahdon a three vote advantage over Dominion Handicap winner Springbank Richard for the top of the division, polling 11 votes to eight. Rowe Cup champ Sundons Gift gained 7 votes for Trotter of the Year, while top …
Atom Of Courage kicks season off
ATOM OF COURAGE BACK IN FORM The Mark Jones Racing Stables kicked off the new season the right way when Atom Of Courage led virtually end-to-end at the Invercargill Harness Racing Club’s meeting on Sunday, August 1. The only downside for trainer Mark Jones was that the win came a day too late to take advantage of a 3YO handicapping win concession. “It was just a bit of bad timing with him turning four overnight,” Mark said. Atom Of Courage again showed his liking for the front-end, with Mark saying he probably relaxes a bit better there. Driver Regan …
Kahdon loses battle
KAHDON LOSES BATTLE Kahdon lost the biggest battle of her life to a bacterial infection at a veterinary clinic in Victoria on Monday, July 19. NZ’s top 3YO trotter struggled to beat the infection for much of the week leading up to her demise. “She was 50-50 all the way through really, then took a turn for the worse,” said trainer Mark Jones. “They were teeing her up for an operation at 4pm, but she died an hour earlier,” he said. “I feel sorry for Peter Chambers (owner). He loves his horses and was pretty upset.” It was a double …
Mark tops 50 training wins for season
MARK TOPS 50 TRAINING WINS Burnham trainer Mark Jones racked up his 50th training win of the season when Skip Bo caused a major upset in a 1-2 win mobile pace at Addington on Friday, July 16. Mark has exceeded all expectations in just his second term as a public trainer. He has also maintained his high profile as a reinsman with 91 driving wins for the term. The Mark Jones stable advanced to 51 training wins when Union Buster justified his favouritism with a maiden victory at Rangiora on Saturday. The stable have won NZ earnings of …
Vict Trot Derby & Redwood results
JINGLING ALL THE WAY Jingling Silver capped an unforgettable Redwood Carnival for Chris Lang when she became only the third filly in the past 20 runnings to win the Seelite Windows and Doors Victoria Trotters Derby (2690m) at Maryborough on Sunday, July 18. The daughter of Conch De Ville joined last year’s winner Arizona Blue and 2003 champion Zesta as the only girls to have upstaged the boys since 1991 when she sprint-laned to victory in the $A75,000 Group 1. It was Lang’s fourth win for the day and ensured the 25th anniversary Redwood Carnival would go down as his …