KOWHAI MONARCH TROTS 1:57.1 AT MENANGLE Kowhai Monarch lowered his career mile trot best to 1:57.1 with his second Menangle win for the Mark Jones stable on Saturday, June 3. The 4YO Monarchy-Surprising gelding pressed forward from the five gate in the Campbelltown Warriors Trotters Mobile, led, trailed at the 400m and finished bet for driver Ashlee Grives. Kowhai Monarch drew clear by 2.3 metres from fellow NZ-bred Dieu De Lamour (Love You-The Sun Goddess), followed homeby Sunset Tour, Rompers Monarchy and Nickelson. He racked up his seventh career win from 43 starts, taking his earnings past $A51,000 for owners …
FORBURY, ASHBURTON TC, June 1-4
FORBURY PARK TC, Thursday, June 1 Race 2: SPOOKY (2, Samantha Ottley), 2200m std: “No luck fresh up but gets in a winnable race.” Race 6: BETTOR UNDER FIRE (5, Laura McKay), mob. 2200m: “Good fresh up run and with luck is a winning hope.” Race 11: POMME ROY (8, Samantha Ottley), mob. 2200m: “A 1:55 mile rate found him out fresh-up last week but he will need luck from the draw.” ASHBURTON TC, Saturday, June 3 Race 2: CASTLEREAGH (11, Samantha Ottley), mob. 1609m: “Hoping for no bad luck and has freshened up good.” Race 3: GLENFERRIE …
Major Lucky for NSW
MAJOR LUCKY HEADS TO SYDNEY Major Lucky has been withdrawn from the $150,000 Commodore Airport Hotel 2YO Harness Jewels Emerald at Ashburton on June 3 after failing to stay in touch with his former All Stars stablemates at Addington this month. “He has gone to Robbie Morris in Sydney as he purchased him (for owner Greg Brodie). I was just looking after him,” said Overport Lodge trainer, Mark Jones. A well-developed Art Major half-brother to last season’s top NZ 2YO More The Better, Major Lucky was race-placed in 1:54.9 in NZ and shouldn’t be hard to place in New South …
NZ METRO-INVERCARGILL-RANGIORA HRC, May 26-28
NZ METRO TC, Friday, May 26 Race 2: SPOOKY (6, Wayne Higgs) & BETTOR UNDER FIRE (13, Laura McKay), mob. 1950m: “Spooky ran an improved trial on Monday and each-way chance.” “Bettor Under Fire is fresh up. He’s been bit crook so hopefully over it and will need luck.” INVERCARGILL HRC, Saturday, May 27 Race 1: POMME ROY (7, Blair Orange), mob. 1700m: “He gets in the right race to start off. He’s completely sound and just had a wind op previously. He seems good but has been off the track for a long time so will improve with run.” …
NZ METRO TC, Friday, May 19
NZ METRO TC, Friday, May 19 Race 4: WHITTAKER (SCR). Race 5: CASTLEREAGH (7, Samantha Ottley), mob. 1950m: “Drawn bad and will need luck but providing he does things right he’s an each-way chance.” Race 9: MAJOR LUCKY (9, Samantha Ottley), mob. 1950m: “Needing luck but we know he can’t threaten the favs.” Race 11: DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS (SCR). Race 12: GLENFERRIE CLASSIC (10, Samantha Ottley), mob. 1950m: “Drawn to need luck.”
Major Lucky trying to live up to name
MAJOR LUCKY LOOKING FOR LUCK IN 2YO FEATURES New Overport Lodge acquisiton Major Lucky is only likely to remain briefly in Canterbury for a crack at this month’s 2YO features. While it is virtually impossible to improve the horse from top All Stars trainers, Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen, his connections are hoping he holds his form. With a touch of luck he could pick up some useful money in those races for his new Gold Coast owner Greg Brodie. “He (Major Lucky) seems fine. We know he is below the top ones so he’s just here for the PGG …
NZ METRO, WINTON, TIMARU HRC, May 12-14
NZ METRO TC, Friday, May 12 Race 8: DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS (10, Blair Orange), mob. 1950m: “Gets an ideal draw to fill a top three placing again.” Race 10: MAJOR LUCKY (12, Samantha Ottley), mob. 1950m: “Will need luck from a bad draw and is a notch below the top ones.” Race 11: WHITTAKER (9, Samantha Ottley), mob. 1950m: “Has drawn bad but gets a nice race and an each-way chance.” Outside drive Race 4: BUSHIDO (4), mob. 2600m: “Will be tougher up in grade but won well last week. Hopefully he’ll handle it.” WINTON HRC, Saturday, May 13 …
FORBURY PARK TC, Thursday, May 11
FORBURY PARK TC, Thursday, May 11 Race 8: KOWHAI WHIZ (9, Craig Ferguson), 1, 40m, 2700m std: “He didn’t trot as good as he can last week at Addington but its a good race for him to find some form down there.”
Ice Crusher wins at Redcliffe
ICE CRUSHER SOLD, WINS FIRST-UP IN QUEENSLAND Former Overport Lodge pacer Ice Crusher, sold out of the Mark Jones stable last month, was a first-up winner in Queensland at Redcliffe on Thursday, May 4. The 4YO Christian Cullen-Helena Kilena gelding was caught three wide early from the second row then led over the last lap as a short $1.80 favourite for new trainer Darrell Graham. Ice Crusher won by 8.2 metres in a 1:59.2 rate for the 2040m, pacing his last 800m in 59.2s and closing 400m in 29.4s. He earlier won two and was three times placed in 15 …
NZ METRO TC-RANGIORA HRC, May 5-7
NZ METRO TC, Friday, May 5 Race 6: KOWHAI WHIZ (5, Samantha Ottley), 2, 30m, 2600m std: “With only seven in it, its as good a race for him as we can find for him at Addington. Hopefully he can improve on Sunday’s run at Invercargill.” Outside drive Race 2: LANIKAI (8), mob. 2600m: “Racing good and has the highest rating (65) in the race so should be hard to beat.” RANGIORA HRC, Sunday, May 7 Race 3: SPOOKY (10, Wayne Higgs), mob. 2000m: “Hasn’t raced since January and fresh-up without a workout so looking for luck.” …