By Stu Bailey
The New Zealand Cup just gained a much needed lift with Mark Jones declaring he will run Stylish Memphis and Burnham Boy in the race after scintillating victories at Ascot Park yesterday.
Mark Jones will quickly awaken a currently rather muted New Zealand Cup build-up in declaring both connections of Southern Supremacy winner Burnham Boy, and Southland Oaks winner Stylish Memphis are to seriously consider paying late entry fees to start in the 2020 IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington on November 10.
Stylish Memphis wins the $200,000 John Gibson New South Wales Oaks at Tabcorp Park, Menangle, on February 29.
This does not mean both horses will run as it will come down to the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s selection process. But Jones sees no reason why they would not want both horses in the race.
“I doubt Stylish Memphis (Group 1, New South Wales Oaks winner this year) has a lot to prove to anyone, to be honest,” he said a day after her near-record-breaking success at Ascot Park.
“There are horses in the nominations that have not been able to beat her in the past, and frankly, do not have a record like hers. She’s beaten home Thefixer at Addington this season and went 3:08 (2600m stand) so we’ve got nothing left to prove. Nothing at all.
“What the Cup comes down to is having the best 15 horses you can get. And I’m a bad judge if both of my horses are not in the top 15 at the moment. Disregard form from 12 months ago – that’s a thing of the past.”
Jones has always been a firm believer in picking on form, like they would in sport, and says the public want to see the best of that time going head-to-head.
“I’d doubt the build-up to Origin (league) has ever been better than it has this year simply based on the fact both teams have picked squads of players in good form leading into it. Queensland are seemingly down on troops but the guys they’ve picked have all been firing for their clubs and deserve their spots – the New Zealand Cup is, or should be viewed, no different to that.”
‘Its not about pushing our way in. But Ricky (May) is very keen to have a go and I cannot argue with him, no one knows better than Ricky when it comes to assessing a horses chances coming into that particular race.
“I remember being disappointed in Terror To Love in the Cup trial before he won it one year but Ricky said, no, I was rapt, he’ll win the race. And he did. Ricky knows best.
“It might sound strange, but I reckon we’ve probably got more chance of winning the Cup than we have beating Amazing Dream in the Nevele R Final (also run on Cup day this year),” he added.
“She’s a great stayer, relaxed beautifully at Invercargill yesterday, and Ricky just can’t speak highly enough of her as a Cup chance. That obviously sways me.
“And Wayne (Higgs, owner) is open to it. He’s a businessman and sees the upside in running for 500k instead of 100k.”
BURNHAM BOY
Burnham Boy will stay 3200m and beyond, something that rests well with Jones as he plots his course into the New Zealand Cup after a slick Southern Supremacy victory, leading end-to-end.
“We’d likely get no money in the 1980m mobiles (during Cup week), they’re just of no use to him,” said Jones.
“He would not disgrace himself in the Cup. He would stand up there and step away like he does and in the first four of five they would know he is there. He could easily run top four in the race, particularly the way he went yesterday – he’s really flying right now.
“He’s beaten the likes of Heisenberg and Tango Tara a few times and I’m hoping they pick the Cup field on merit, because if they do, he’s in the field.
“Kevin Watson (owner) and his family would love to have a Cup runner. That is likely Burnham Boy, though we thought that would be next year. But I think the time is right to fast-track that process.
“It is a shame we’re not a week behind if you like. I’d have loved to have taken him to Kaikoura for the Cup up there had it been a week later. But obviously he can’t go Southern Supremacy Thursday, into the Kaikoura Cup, Monday – that’s just too tough.”
Jones’ runners would rate high in the market, particularly Stylish Memphis, on the fourth or fifth line of betting for the Cup around a fourth favourite at the same $10 or $11 quote for Classie Brigade. Burnham Boy fits in around that $21 quote at the same price as Ashley Locaz and Thefixer, possibly ranked a shade wider at $26.
NZ TAB bookies had in cricketing terms put the covers on the wicket in declaring ‘no more bets’ after Monday’s Ashburton Flying Stakes, slashing Copy That from $6.50 to $2.80 after winning and ending up with joint favourites as Self Assured also sits on that mark.
There has been no movement since, so perhaps Mark Jones great intent will help the TAB to get a seemingly dormant Futures book into motion again.