FORBURY PARK TC, Wednesday, December 21 Race 3: BEST DEFENCE (5, Laura McKay), mob. 2200m: “Disappointed last time at Motukarara but is in the right race to show improvement.” Race 7: KOWHAI WHIZ (12, Laura McKay), 2, 40m, 2700m std: “Ran Phil’s Gift close there last time and always a good each-way show at Forbury.”
Two juvenile pacing colts qualify at Ashburton
TWO JUVENILE PACING COLTS QUALIFY AT ASHBURTON Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones qualified two 2YO pacing colts at the Ashburton trials on Tuesday, December 20, including Squire(Aus), who he purchased for $47,000 at the Sydney Australia Pacing Gold Yearling Sale on February 27. Squire(Aus) settled fourth for Mark and pierced through between runners over the final 150m in the second 2YO colts and geldings trial, finishing just over half a length from the the Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen-trained Ashley Locaz (2c Bettor’s Delight-Ashley Cullen). Ashley Locaz settled one place ahead of Squire(Aus) and did just enough to win, edging …
Master Lavros huge in comeback; Omakau next
MASTER LAVROS OVERCOMES EARLY BREAK IN COMEBACK WIN Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones has decided against travelling Master Lavros to Auckland for the Group One National Trot on December 31, instead electing to take him to Central Otago for a free-for-all trot on January 2. “His leg scanned good this morning (Saturday) but he will not go to Auckland and head to Omakau instead,” Mark said. After weighing up the options, the Master Lavros team have gone with a more feasible target, even though he’ll be racing for $9000 at Omakau, instead of $80,000 on offer at Auckland. Ultimately, his …
RANGIORA HRC, Sunday, December 18
RANGIORA HRC (grass), Sunday, December 18 Race 2: MANINTHEMIRROR (15, Samantha Ottley), 2600m std: “Trying him from a stand start but is racing good and an each- way chance.” Race 3: BETTOR UNDER FIRE (SCR) & SENORITA MARGARITA (17, Blair Orange), 2600m std: “Señorita Margarita is unknown on grass but if she gets luck can place.” Race 4: ZENA MAC (6, Laura McKay), mob. 1950m: “Looking for luck.” Race 7: GLENFERRIE CLASSIC (3, Samantha Ottley), 2600m std: “Racing great and a strong winning hope.” Race 8: PERISSA (8, Samantha Ottley), 2, 10m, 2600m std: “Is racing good but is in …
AUCKLAND TC-NZ METRO TC, Friday, December 16
AUCKLAND TC, Friday, December 16 Race 1: REAL TORQUE (6, Samantha Ottley), mob. 2200m: “Trialled up very good at Auckland last Saturday so should be in with a good each-way show.” Race 3: DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS (1, Blair Orange), mob. 2200m: “Has come through last week’s race really well. We’ll make use of the draw with Spanish Armada the danger again.” Race 4: THE BUS (8, Samantha Ottley), mob. 1700m: “Going to be hard to beat Spankem, who’s drawn the one. The Bus went to the front in his trial at Auckland on Saturday morning and went very good. It was …
Master Lavros given all-clear to race Friday
MASTER LAVROS SCHEDULED TO RACE AT ADDINGTON Top squaregaiter Master Lavros is scheduled to make his race return at Addington on Friday, December 16, after coming through his Rangiora workout last Wednesday. “He went nice but didn’t trot great up the straight,” said Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones. However, precautionary scans taken of the horse’s injured leg and have come back good. The plan is to race the giant-sized squaregaiter in the $13,000 mobile 2600m free-for-all on Friday. Mark crossed from the five gate with Master Lavros to trail stablemate Senorita Margarita in the early stages of the C0 and …
Robbie Close 2nd in Aust. Young Drivers Championship
ROBBIE CLOSE 2ND TO TODD McCARTHY IN AUSTRALASIA YDC Overport Lodge driver Robbie Close has gone within a whisker of notching back-to-back Australasian Young Drivers Championship victories. Robbie, winner of both the 2015 New Zealand Junior series and Australasian YDC, was tied with New South Welshman Todd McCarthy going into the final heat of the 2015 Perth AYDC series, but his drive, former Kiwi Mighty Flying Thomas, raced below his best, dropping away to finish second-to-last. McCarthy, driving another ex-Kiwi in Bronze Seeker, was able to finish two places closer and claim the series on 73 points, two ahead of …
Delightful Memphis turns tables on rival
DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS REVERSES ROLES WITH SPANISH ARMADA Delightful Memphis, and driver Blair Orange, made the most of drawing inside arch-rival Spanish Armada to post their second Alabar Sires Stakes 3YO Fillies Heat win of the season. She was a comfortable winner of the $19,800 Auckland Alabar Sires Heat in the build-up to the big $150,000 final at Auckland on December 31. The Mark Jones-trained filly, who won the first heat at Addington on October 12 and had to settle for second to Spanish Armada in their Addington heat clash on November 25, turned the tables in the Auckland heat on …
NZ METRO TC-AKAROA TC, December 10-11
NZ METRO TC, Saturday, December 10 Race 6: RUTHLESS SUCCESS (2, Laura McKay), mob. 1950m: “Has a good draw, is racing good, and a place chance again.” Race 7: ICE CRUSHER (7, Laura McKay), mob. 1950m: “Hasn’t raced for a year but trialled nice and a strong chance.” AKAROA TC, Sunday, December 11 Race 4: MANINTHEMIRROR (15, Samantha Ottley), mob. 2000m: “Drawn bad but is having no luck and a winning show.” Race 7: BEST DEFENCE (5, Samantha Ottley) & ZENA MAC (9, Wayne Higgs), 2170m std: “Ideal race for both and both have a strong chance on …
NZ METRO-AUCKLAND-FORBURY TC, Dec. 8-9
NZ METRO TC, Thursday, December 8 Race 4: GLENFERRIE CLASSIC (9, Laura McKay), 2600m std: “Bonus win when she got a bit of luck last week but won well. If she backs up and gets into race at the right time she’s a winning chance again.” Race 5: AYMAR (6, Samantha Ottley) & ZENA MAC (9, Wayne Higgs), mob. 1950m: “Both are only in because the club asked for horses to race.” “Aymar was a bit disappointing at Oamaru but back to the all-weather she’s a chance.” “Zena Mac will desperately need the run.” AUCKLAND TC, Friday, December 9 Race …