EXPRESSO MARTINI RUNS SMART 2400m AT NELSON
Expresso Martini, who recorded one of the fastest mobile 2400m times by a NZ 2YO pacer in the BMTT Mobile Pace at Nelson on Sunday, June 8, won’t be seen again until the spring.
Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones said the Met Eight Syndicate-owned colt had
done enough in five starts in his debut term after Expresso Martini’s fast Nelson run.
Expresso Martini, a 2YO maiden winner at Nelson in a smart 2:57.9 (2400m) on June 8.
Expresso Martini, a Bettor’s Delight half-brother to dual Nelson C0-1 winner Secret Lotion (1:58.9) and 2010 Northern Oaks/Nevele R Fillies Final winner Secret Potion (1:57.5, 10 wins & $265.312), paced the mobile 2400m in 2:57.9 (1:59.3 mile rate).
His run was only 1.3 seconds outside the NZ 2YO colts and geldings mark, set by Someardensomewhere at Ashburton 12 months ago.
Driver Blair Orange made the most of Expresso Martini’s good draw, quickly finding the top and keeping the pace true throughout.
The driver had a winning salute for the trainer and his team, who were positioned 100m after the line.
Expresso Martini, a $34,000 NZ Premier Yearling Sales buy, has the pedigree to develop further.
He’s also a half-brother to (Hesthe) Village Dancer (2:00.4, 10 Aust. wins) four-race NZ winner How Do Mate (1:59.3 m.r., 2000m), three-race NZ winner Yeah Baby (1:57.6, US), and minor NZ winner She’s Got It.
Another half-sister, the lightly-raced First Lady Tingira, had also made her mark as the dam of Arti Lady Tingira (1:55.4), four NSW wins.
Expresso Martini, and his other well-performed siblings, are from the unraced Walton Hanover mare Putting On The Glitz, a half-sister to fast North American miler Silver Lined Pocket (1:50.4, 36 wins world-wide) and Pocket Of Gold (15 Victorian wins).
Awfully Nice (1:59.6), the third dam of Expresso Martini, was a half-sister to former Grand Circuit pacer Defoe (TT, 1:53), All Systems Go (1:51.4, US) and Nothin But A Dreamer (TT, 1:58.9).
The latter, a racewinning In The Pocket mare, gained recent notoreity as the dam of former strong Canterbury pacer Dream Out Loud (by Bettor’s Delight), who won nine from 26 starts in Australasia, and paced a brilliant 1:48.4 to win at Harrahs Chester, Pennsylvania, in North America last week.
MARK HAS SHOULDER INJURY
Meanwhile, trainer Mark Jones, who stood himself down from racedrives on the first day at Nelson with a shoulder complaint, will have it checked out this week.
“Its slowly coming right but I’d better find out whats wrong with it,” he said.
The Expresso Martini win was the 66th for the season for the Jones stable, taking the stable’s seasonal earnings to $722,135.