NZ METRO TC, Thursday, December 12 Race 1: READY FOR TAKEOFF (14, Blair Orange), mob. 1950m: “He went good at Oamaru and should be a bit fitter but its not going to be easy from that draw.” Race 4: FAIR DINKUM BROMAC (6, Blair Orange), mob. 1950m: “Its a better race for him. Hopefully he can be competitive in that.” Outside drive Race 3: ARMED FORCE (15), 2600m std: “Began much better last Sunday. A chance providing he does things right early.”
Upcoming Addington Super Series
SECOND SEASON SUPER SERIES, DEC 20 The second Seasonal Super Series to be held at Addington on December 20 is just two weeks away. This series presents a great opportunity for owners and trainers with horses in the lower grades to race for stakes of $23,500 (each Open Race) and $12,500 (each Consolation). All starters in each Open Race are to receive a minimum stake of $500 and all starters in the Consolations will receive a minimum stake of $250. To qualify to start on December 20, a horse must have started in at least one race at a New …
OAMARU HRC & METHVEN TC, Dec 7-8
OAMARU HRC, Saturday, December 7 Race 1: PAT’S FIRST SUN (4), 2600m std: “He’s balloted at Oamaru so will go to Methven.” Race 8: READY FOR TAKEOFF (13, Ken Barron), mob. 2000m: “I was going to give him another trial but its penalty-free for the invited drivers, so he may as well go there. He trialled good on Monday but he’ll need a bit of luck from the draw.” Race 10: SAGE CREEK (5, Blair Orange), 2000m std: “He went ok at the trials on Monday. He’s up in grade since he last raced in August but its not a strong …
Master Lavros ready for Methven
MASTER LAVROS WINS ADDINGTON MOBILE TRIAL Dominion Handicap winner Master Lavros was successful from behind the mobile gate at the Addington trials on Monday, December 2, in preparation for Sunday’s $14,999 Methven Four Square Supermarket Trotters Green Mile at Methven. Master Lavros and Green Mile race rival Clover Don were transferred to separate C0 mobile 1950m pacing heats when the free-for-all trot trial only attracted the two entries and was deleted. Both started each heat from the outside of the front row. Overport Lodge trainer-driver Mark Jones settled Master Lavros nicely in fourth spot early with the big-striding Sundon gelding …
Saveapatrol fulfils country cup ambition
SAVEAPATROL WINS OWNER HOME-TOWN CUP Owner Grant Hatton achieved a long-held ambition as a racehorse owner when Saveapatrol the $19,759 Mainfreight Geraldine Trotting Cup at Orari on Saturday, November 30, 2013. Mr Hatton, a retired butcher, was Temuka-born and raised and has been a regular at Orari meetings for many years. He went close to winning the 2005 Geraldine Cup as a co-owner of Mulcay, trained by Peter Jones and driven by Mark Jones, who came up half a length short of beating I’m A Dazzler, driven by Blair Orange for trainer Graeme Lamb. Mr Hatton also tried to win …
NZ METRO, Nov 29 & GERALDINE, Nov 30
NZ METRO TC, Friday, November 29 Race 3: IS THIS LOVE (10, Kimberly Butt), mob. 1950m: “Went better at Motukarara but looking for luck from the draw.” GERALDINE TC, Saturday, November 30 Race 9: FAIR DINKUM BROMAC (1, Regan Todd) & SAVEAPATROL (5, Blair Orange), fr, 2850m std: “Both seem fine. Fair Dinkum Bromac will find it tough in that grade.” “Saveapatrol seems good since his Cup day run but just needs in a strong country cup race.” TABCORP PK MENANGLE, Saturday, Nov. 30 Outside drive Race 8: MACH BEAUTY (3, Mark Jones), mob. 1609m: “It was a great run …
Mark & Mach Beauty in Miracle Mile
MARK 2ND WITH MACH BEAUTY IN G1 MENANGLE FFA Catch driver Mark Jones did enough with the Shane-Tritton-trained Mach Beauty in the Cordina Chicken Sprint at Menangle on Saturday, November 24, to gain one of the last invited spots for next Saturday’s $A750,000 SEW Eurodrive Miracle Mile (November 30). Mark gave Mach Beauty every chance in the Group One $A100,000 final lead-up, but they couldn’t get past evergreen 11yo Grand Circuit star Smoken Up down the long Menangle straight. Smoken Up, the Menangle track record holder at 1:48.5 set two years ago, and Victorian trainer-driver Lance Justice, lasted in a …
BANKS PENINSULA TC, Sunday, Nov. 24
BANKS PENINSULA TC, Sunday, Nov. 24 Race 6: IS THIS LOVE (1, Kimberly Butt), mob. 2000m: “She was better running third at the Ashburton trials on Wednesday when they ran the last 800m in 57.2s. Its an average maiden field, so a chance to get some form providing she does things right.” Outside drive Race 10: SMOKEN ROMAN (11), 1, 10m, 2810m: “Colin De Filippi has his own one in (Billythehuntedone), so a pick-up drive. He raced good on Show Day, getting up for second to Vice Chairman, so you can’t fault his form. He’s won on grass too.”
TIMARU HRC, Saturday, Nov. 23
TIMARU HRC, Saturday, Nov 23 Race 8: FAIR DINKUM BROMAC (9, Blair Orange), 10m, 2600m std: “He begins good and races well around Timaru. With a good trip, he could be a place chance.”
Offtocullect scores first-up in Perth
OFFTOCULLECT . . . GLOUCESTER PARK WINNER Former Overport Lodge pacer Offtocullect made a strong winning West Australian debut for the Greg Bond stable at Gloucester Park, Perth, on Friday night, November 15. The 3YO Gotta Go Cullect-Shazza’s Dream colt overcame the inside of the back row in a $A17,000 3YO pace, improving wide to race parked then outfinishing stablemate Black Mr Mach in a 1:59 rate for the mobile 2130m. The leaders quickened over their last 800m in 58.6s and closing 400m in 28.5s. Formerly raced from the Mark Jones stable by Wayne Higgs, Gotta Co Cullect won four of …