DYNAMIC PARTY DELIVERS FIRST-UP AT KAIKOURA
Dynamic Party, good enough to run sixth in Franco Nelson’s 2014 Harness Jewels 4YO Emerald for former trainers Terry and Glenys Chmiel, notched his first win for 17 months at Kaikoura on Monday, November 2.
Dynamic Party does enough to hold New York Town (blue colours) in the TFS Horse Transport Mobile Pace at Kaikoura on November 2, 2015
First-up since joining the Burham arm of the Mark Jones stable, the 6YO Bettor’s Delight gelding changed stables after failing to salute in his 5YO season.
Co-owners John and Jill Hartnell, also have five-win trot gelding Kowhai Whiz with Mark Jones, while he also won three races with his half-sister Kowhai Sunrise.
The “Kowhai” horses race in John Hartnells yellow colours with the bee logo and black trims.
Dynamic Party resumed off a seven month layoff with forward showings at the Rangiora workouts late last month and Mark was confident of a bold first-up showing.
“It was a good result first-up and will give him a go over cup week,” Mark said.
A happy Blair Orange returns to scale after delivering with favourite Dynamic Party at Kaikoura.
Driver Blair Orange reined Dynamic Party positively from a wide gate, landing up outside Franco Harrison to the first turn, then going to the top.
The Greg and Nina Hope-trained New York Town moved up in the open over the last lap and tried hard but Dynamic Party found enough to hold by a head, with Franco Harrison a length and a half away third.
Fair Dinkum Bromac, after settling four back on the inner, amde ground for fifth.
Dynamic Party rated 1:59.8 for the mobile 1900m, running his last 800m in 58s and final 400m in 28s.
Downgrading from a C4 last term, he was well-placed racing in a C1-3 graded field at Kaikoura, but returns to a C4 rating for cup week.
This was his sixth career win from 43 starts. He’s also picked up nine minor placings for $53,441 in stakes.
Dynamic Party was race-timed in 1:53.6 in the 4YO Jewels.
It may be a case of him gathering confidence again after managing just a second and a third in 13 starts last term.
He’s a half-brother to Operation Dynamic (1:58.1, seven wins) being from Dynamic Guest, a daughter of Smooth Fella and former top filly/mare Hilarious Guest (21 wins & $283,230).
Hilarious Guest showed her mettle beating the boys in the NZ Sapling Stakes and again in the 1982 New Zealand Derby, both wins in the hands of Mark’s father Peter Jones, for trainer Maurice Vermeulen.
She also won the NZ Messenger 4YO Championship when reined by Peter Wolfenden.
Master Lavros leads Stent with a lap to run at Kaikoura. The trail horse was too good in the run home, winning in NZ record time for co-trainer Colin De Filippi.
Hilarious Guest also finished second in two Auckland Cups, behind Roydon Glen in 1985, and Armalight in 1983.
Meanwhile, Mark was satisfied with the performance of top trotter Master Lavros, who swamped to run fourth in NZ record time in the $24,000 Majestic Son FFA Trot.
Master Lavros worked early to wrest the lead from arch rival Stent, who proved much too strong in the run home winning as he liked by 1 1/4 lenths in 3:00.2 for the stand start 2400m, the leaders last 800m in 57s.
This shaved 0.4 of a second off Sheemon’s former NZ mark.
“He needed the run,” Mark said of Master Lavros.
“I was happy enough but thought he could have gone a length better. He hadn’t raced for three weeks and always improves with a hard race but he’ll need to for cup week,” he said.
By Jeff Scott