TIMARU HRC @ ADDINGTON, Thursday, April 27 Race 1: BELLE OF BROOKLYN (1, Samantha Ottley), mob. 1950m: “Has been making mistakes, which isn’t like her, but I think she should be running third in this.” Outside drives Race 4: BUSHIDO (3), mob. 1950m: “Knocked over last start and a big winning chance.” Race 8: ARTICULIGHT (13), mob. 1950m: “Not racing as good as he can but on his day can beat this field.” AUCKLAND TC, Friday, April 28 Race 8: EYRE I COME (17, Brent Mangos), UR 3, 3200m std: “Is racing super. Its an even race and a winning …
RANGIORA HRC, Sunday, April 23
RANGIORA HRC, Sunday, April 23 Race 5: WHITTAKER (6, Samantha Ottley), mob. 2000m: “Racing good and an each-way chance in a suitable race.” Race 9: KOWHAI WHIZ (7, Robbie Close), mob. 2000m: “He’s won over the trip before at Rangiora but its an even form field so looking for luck.”
Top pacer Saveapatrol retired
SAVEAPATROL RETIRED AFTER LATEST SETBACK It was a bitter-sweet occasion for owner Grant Hatton the night he scored his first Group One win as a co-owner of NZ Trotting Championship winner, Eyre I Come. The horse he thought may have been his first Group One winner in Saveapatrol was retired after going amiss again a couple of days out from the Addington premier meeting on April 7. Saveapatrol, good enough to beat triple New Zealand Cup winner Terror To Love, and another New Zealand Cup winner in Arden Rooney, in the Group Three 2014 Invercargill Cup, was plagued by soundness …
AUCKLAND TC-NZ METRO TC, April 21
AUCKLAND TC, Friday, April 21 Race 8: EYRE I COME (3, Brent Mangos), mob. 2200m: “Is racing good and Bernie is happy with him but its a good field.” NZ METRO TC, Friday, April 21 Race 6: DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS (4, Mark), mob. 1950m: “We can’t beat the All Stars fillies from the draw but a place chance. Its bloody stupid having a premier meeting at Auckland on the same night.” Race 7: BELLE OF BROOKLYN (4, Samantha Ottley), 2000m std: “Hit wheel disks last week and broke. The stand start is a question this week but is good enough to …
Kowhai Monarch scores first-up Menangle win
KOWHAI MONARCH WINS AT MENANGLE FOR STABLE The New South Wales arm of the Mark Jones stable scored a win first-up with useful trotter Kowhai Monarch at Menangle on Saturday, April 8. Driven by Ashlee Grives (nee Siejka), who is assisting Mark with a satellite Overport Lodge extension in to NSW, the big Monarchy gelding led early, was eased 3 back and finished best as a $2.70 favourite in the T2 or better $11,000 Allied Express _ National Distribution Trotters Discretionary Handicap. Kowhai Monarch trotted the 2300m (stand) in 2:54.5 (2:02.1 mile rate), with the leaders running their last 800m …
FORBURY PARK-NZ METRO TC, April 13-15
FORBURY PARK TC, Thursday, April 13 Race 3: KOWHAI WHIZ (6, Robbie Close), 1, 40m, 2700m std: “Its the right race for him and he usually gets some money at Forbury.” NZ METRO TC, Saturday, April 15 Race 3: BELLE OF BROOKLYN (5, Samantha Ottley), mob. 1950m: “She’s trialled up good but will need luck to beat the All Stars fillies.” Race 5: CASTLEREAGH (4, Samantha Ottley), mob. 1950m: “Has the draw in his favour and an each-way chance again.” Outside drive Race 11: BUSHIDO (12), mob. 2600m: “Raced good on debut last Sunday and a good …
Delightful Memphis paces NZ record
DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS BRILLIANT IN WINTON CUP The sensational NZ 3YO fillies record run over 2400m (stand start) of 2:55.5 by Delightful Memphis in the Winton Business Cup on Sunday, April 9, is unlikely to be challenged for some time. Despite improving track conditions throughout NZ, the time was a good reflection and a deserved momento for a high class unlucky to be born in the same year as dominant All Stars filly, Spanish Armada. She smashed the former mark of 2:59.9 set by Talkerup at Ashburton on Boxing Day, 2015. Nothing could detract from the performance of the Overport Lodge-trained …
Eyre I Come gives owner Grant Hatton first Group One
EYRE I COME FURTHERS RISE WITH GROUP ONE WIN Eyre I Come furthered his rise among the top trotters in New Zealand and provided co-owner Grant Hatton with a notable first in the $80,000 Fred Shaw Memorial NZ Trotting Championship at Addington on Friday, March 7. “It was great for Grant (Hatton) and Merv and Meg Butterworth (co-owners), especially Grant, as it was his first Group One and with a horse he always believed in,” said trainer Mark Jones. It was a challenging night of mixed emotions for the Overport Lodge trainer. He reined stablemate Master Lavros to a game …
Master Lavros retired after going amiss
MASTER LAVROS GALLANT IN RACETRACK FINALE It was the finale no one wanted for champion squaregaiter and two-time Dominion Handicap winner Master Lavros. But an inflamed suspensory in his “good leg” afer trying to hold Eyre I Come in the NZ Trotting Championship at Addington on Friday night (April 7, 2017) ended the race career of the trotting giant. “He’s an amazing horse. He tried right to the end and showed what a champion is is,” said trainer Mark Jones. Master Lavros, given time to settle in midfield early in the Trotting Championship, was on the move to take up …
FORBURY-NZ METRO-RANGIORA-WINTON HRC, April 6-9
FORBURY PARK TC, Thursday, April 6 Race 2: ELLAQUENCE (6, Brent Barclay), mob. 2200m: “She went good at Invercagill first-up and had a quiet run at the trials last week but probably just a place chance from the draw.” Race 10: AYMAR (8, Blair Orange), mob. 1700m: “It was good to get a win with her at Motukarara. The outside draw makes it tough but she has gate speed and a chance again with the right luck.” NZ METRO TC, Friday, April 7 Race 2: KOWHAI WHIZ (14, Robbie Close), 1, 30m, 2600m std: “He hasn’t raced since January but …