HALF-SISTER TO PEMBROOK BENNY FOR OVERPORT LODGE Burnham trainer Mark Jones added to his yearling stock by securing New Moment, a half-sister by Art Major to 2013 NZ Free-For-All winner Pembrook Benny (1:53.6, 22 wins & $898,104), at the NZ Bloodstock Standardbred Sales in Christchurch on Wednesday. The filly is also a half-sister to former previous Overport Lodge winners, Holme Fire (1:58.8, five wins at two and three, $69,488) and Northern Velocity (1:56.6, 12 wins & $188,264), and a; half-sister to other smart fillies/mares in Pembrook Caesar (1:53, 10 wins & $77,433) and (Sparkling) Tachyon (1:55.5, four wins & $47,377). …
NZ METRO-NEWCASTLE (NSW), Feb 22-23
NZ METRO TC, Friday, Feb. 22 Race 10: SMOKE N REACTOR (3, Laura McKay), mob. 1980m: “Drawn good but been disappointing race-day.” NEWCASTLE (NSW), Saturday, Feb. 23 Race 6: THE BUS (4, Guy Chappie), mob. 2030m: “Is in a winnable race.” Race 9: MISTER FINNIGAN (6, Mark), mob. 1609m: “Went good last week and a good chance.” Race 10: MILLWOOD TILLY (5, Mark), mob. 1609m: “Ok filly who has a winning chance.”
Mark Jones buys $100,000 filly at Karaka
MARK BUYS $100,000 FILLY AT KARAKA Burnham trainer Mark Jones outlaid $100,000 to secure La Rosa, a yearling sister to Group One-placed 3YO filly Buzinga (p3, 1:56.8), and two-year-old Young Guns Heat place-getter Dr Susan (1;57.2), at NZ Bloodstock’s National Standardbred Yearling Sale at Karaka on Monday, February 18, 2019. By champion sire Bettor’s Delight, La Rosa is just the third foal from Safedra (p3, 1:56.3), who numbered a win in the Group Two 2013 Southland Oaks among her 10 wins from 48 starts for $135,577 in stakes. Safedra (by Mach Three) also chase home champion filly Adore Me in …
Delightful Memphis wins USA mares pace
DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS WINS OPEN MARES PACE Former Overport Lodge mare Delightful Memphis lifted her 2019 USA earnings to $US61,250 with victory in a $44,000 mares pace at Yonkers Raceway, New York, on Saturday (NZ time). The Bettor’s Delight-Memphis Melody mare has now won four of five starts for the year, and finished second in the other for the Richard “Nifty” Norman stable. She settled fourth for driver Jason Bartlett but unwound strongly to win by a length in 1:53 on the half-mile track. Delightful Memphis, racing as Delightfulmemphisn in the USA, won 11 of 36 Australasian starts for the Mark …
Elusive Chick’s first foal wins debut
LULU LE MANS UNTROUBLED IN NEWCASTLE DEBUT Lulu Le Mans, the first foal from big-winning racemare Elusive Chick (1:53.1), was untroubled to win her Newcastle (NSW) debut for the Mark Jones stable on Friday night, February 15. A two-year-old by champion sire Bettor’s Delight, Lulu Le Mans was sent out a hot $1.33 favourite for the HRNSW Guaranteed Two-Year-Old Pace. She led throughout for trainer Mark Jones, winning by 17.2 metres in a 2:02.4 rate for the 1609m, quickening over her last 800m in 57.5s and her final 400m in 28.3s. Lulu Le Mans is raced by five of her …
NZ METRO-NEWCASTLE-OAMARU-MENANGLE, Feb. 15-16
NZ METRO TC, Friday, Feb 15 Race 2: MICHELLE (16, Sheree Tomlinson), UR, fr, 2600m std: “A chance if she trots away off the unruly.” Race 8: SIOUX PRINCESS (7, Sheree Tomlinson), UR, fr, 2600m std: “Hasn’t been stepping but did everything right at the Ashburton trials on Tuesday. Will need to step and just an outside place show in a very strong field.” Race 10: BARRETT (7, Sheree Tomlinson), 3, 10m, 2600m std: “He’s freshened up after winning well at Roxburgh in early January. Had a run at the workouts last week and with the right luck is a …
MANAWATU HRC, Thursday, Feb. 14
MANAWATU HRC, Thursday, Feb. 14 Race 4: ROCK N JOY (2, Sheree Tomlinson), mob. 2000m: “Was held up just a shade too long on the turn on Tuesday but fought on ok. From the draw, should be a strong each-way chance.”
MANAWATU HRC, Tues. Feb. 12
MANAWATU HRC, Tuesday, February 12 Race 5: ROCK N JOY (8, Sheree Tomlinson), mob. 2000m: “Tricky draw but an each-way chance with the right luck.”
AMBERLEY TC, Wed., Feb 6
AMBERLEY TC (grass) @ RANGIORA, Wed., Feb. 6 Race 8: SMOKE N REACTOR (12, Samantha Ottley), mob. 1950m: “Has been good on the grass and should get a good run through. Could upset.” Race 10: MICHELLE (SCR) & SIOUX PRINCESS (6, Mark), UR, 2600m std: “Has galloped her last two so will drive her this week and see what’s going on. Upset place if manners hold.” Mark’s outside drives Race 6: ROCKNROLL ROD (2), mob. 1950m: “Big three-year-old who went good first-up at Addington last month and a good each-way chance.” Race 9: BACK IN BLACK (2), 10m, 2600m std: …
Ex-stablemates win in USA
EX-OVERPORT LODGE DUO WIN IN USA Former Overport Lodge pacers, Delightfulmemphisn and Whittaker added to their North American careers last weekend. Delightfulmemphisn took her 2019 earnings to just short of $US40,000 when leading throughout in a $29,000 fillies and mares pace at Yonkers, New York. Driven by Jason Bartlett for trainer “Nifty” Norman, the Bettor’s Delight-Memphis Melody mare held by half a length in 1:54 on the half-mile Yonkers track. Whittaker returned to winning form at the Big M in North America on Sunday (NZ time). The Sportswriter entire made the most of the inside draw in a $13,650 conditioned …