KIMBERLY WINS WITH HER OWN HORSE
Overport Lodge junior driver Kimberly Butt scored her first win as an owner with Is This Love at Forbury on Thursday, December 19, and notched her first Addington driving victory with Princess Sophia, at Addington on Friday, December 20.
Kimberly, on the suggestion of employer Mark Jones, purchased Is This Love from the estate of former stable client, the late Paul Nixon, in October.
Mr Nixon’s family were looking to sell some of his bloodstock interests including the Extreme Three mare after Mr Nixon died last August.
Is This Love is a half-sister to the good mares, The Silk Road (1:55.1), who won six of eight NZ starts before being sold to West Australia, and Ginger Spice (1:57.7), who won six of 24 starts, before being sold to North American interests.
Is This Love had hinted a win was close after finishing third at Motukarara last month, and fifth in a fillies and mares mile at Methven in early December, but had also mixed her gait in other starts.
Some subtle shoeing and gear changes worked for Is This Love, who bounced back from a gallop a week earlier in her first try at the Forbury Park 1700m maiden fillies and mares races to score last Thursday, December 14.
After beginning safely, she led the chase after tearaway leader Tang and made the most of a marker run late to outfinish Newmans Jet by half a length.
Is This Love, a $22.90 chance, rated 2:03.2 for the stand start 1700m, the leaders running their last 800m in 59.8s and final 400m in 29s.
Kimberly, who finished a close second with Princess Sophia a week earlier at Addington, combined with the Monarchy mare for a deserved win in the C1-2 Air New Zealand Super Series Consolation Trot at Addington on Friday, December 20.
Princess Sophia, raced by Kimbery’s grandmother Jenny Butt, and trained by her uncle Tim Butt, was back early off the 10m line but ran out the 2600m strongly to wear down front-running Pyramid Monarch by a length in 3:23.5 for the stand start 2600m.
Kimberly tried to notch her third win of the weekend at Rangiora on Sunday, being left parked with her junior concession drive Mac Bubbles in a C2-3 pace.
She led turning for home but was swamped late by the Regan Todd-trained Strata Star, who stormed home to provide Michelle Neilson with her first NZ win.
OVERPORT LODGE NOTCH WIN NO. 29
Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones moved to 29 training wins for the season
after getting away with a pedestrian run in front with Kowhai Sunrise in the Rangiora Honorary Life & Veteran Members Trot on Sunday, December 22.
Kowhai Sunrise, a half-sister by Sundon to four-win trotters, Kowhai Whiz and The Drunken Drummer, is raced by breeder John Hartnell, of Kowhai Standardbreds Ltd.
Mr Hartnell is also a director of Hororata Honey Exports and the Chair of the Federated Farmers Bee Industry Group.
His horses wear his registered owners colours of yellow with a bee logo, and black trims.
He also bred Kowhai Whiz, currently racing in Auckland for the Colin and Julie De Filippi stable, and is a co-owner of two-win pacer Dynamic Party, who races for the Terry and Glenys Chmiel stable.