FANCY WOMAN, CARLAS PIXEL, OUR DREAMLOVER, WIN FOR MARK DENYER
Overport Lodge trot filly Fancy Woman, rewarded for consistency with her maiden win at her 13th start at Forbury on July 12, opened a big-winning weekend for Gold Coast owner Mark Denyer.
Mr Denyer had a red-letter night at Albion Park, Brisbane, on Saturday night, winning the Gr. 2 2018 Seelite Windows & Doors Queensland Trotters Cup with upset winner, Our Dreamlover, for Victorian trainer-driver, Mattie Craven.
Our Dreamlover, who initially won twice in NZ as Dreamlover for the Ken Barron stable, was racking up his 15th win from 49 starts, taking his career earnings to $149,882, beating fellow ex-Kiwis in Gee Up Neddy, Our Overanova and Southern Alps.
Carlas Pixel,shown beating former NZ mare Delishka, in the Gr. 1 Ladyship Mile at Menangle in February. (Photo courtesy of New South Wales Harness Racing).
He also co-owns top 4YO mare Carlas Pixel, (by Courage Under Fire), winner of Saturday night’s Listed $25,540 Egmont Park Stud 2018 Fleur De Lil Ladyship Stakes at Albion Park in 1:53.5.
Carlas Pixel (4m Courage Under Fire-Pixel Perfect), who has a 1:49.5 mile mark, set in the Gr.1 Ladyship Mile at Menangle in February, has raced 46 times for 16 wins and 15 placings, for $343,483 in stakes.
Mr Denyer also races another well-bred filly in the Mark Jones stable in Naiya Franco (3f Mach Three-Nearea Franco), the beaten favourite but a sound fifth from the outside of the second row in the final race at Ashburton on Sunday.
He also raced Elianna Franco (1:57.6), a three-year-old Mach Three filly from Elisit Franco, who was exported to Australia after winning at her fourth start at Oamaru in January for the Mark Jones stable.
She has had one placing in two Victorian starts.
There was more good news for Mr Denyer when Elianna Franco’s close relative Franco Edward (2c American Ideal-Edinburgh Franco) won the $125,000 Tabtouch 2YO Golden Slipper at Gloucester Park, Perth.
Franco Edward, trained and driven by Kyle Harper, overcame the second row to rate 1:56.2 for the 2130m.
He has now won three and been twice placed from five starts.
Franco Edward, who has a fastest winning mile rate of 1:54.2 over 1684m at Pinjarra, is from an unraced Changeover half-sister to Elianna Franco.
Elianna Franco and Franco Edward’s dam Edinburgh Franco after from Elisit Franco (1:57.1, three wins).
Elisit Franco, by Falcon Seelster, is also the dam of former top NZ pacer Franco Emirate (1:53.8, 14 wins from 33 starts for $332,820) and successful Perth mare Eden Franco (1:54.1, 12 wins from 28 starts for $115,945).
Elisit Franco is also a half-sister to former top NZ, Aust. & USA pacer Franco Enforce (28 wins, 1:50.6, US), winner of the 1996 Gr1 NZ Sires Stakes 3YO Final, and both the 1997 Gr1 Australian and Queensland Derbys.
Fancy Woman, rewarded at Forbury last Thursday for owner Mark Denyer, and the Overport Lodge team.
Forbury winner Fancy Woman, who remained in the south between latest starts with Wyndham caretaker trainer Craig Ferguson, made the most of another good start for driver, Sheree Tomlinson.
The three-year-old Majestic Son filly led throughout and lengthened out for Sheree in the run home to hold by three-quarters of a length.
Fancy Woman could add to her record, being from a strong trot family, which tends to develop with time.
She is the third foal and first winner from Playmate Of The Year, who raced only seven times for two wins and three placings.
Mark Jones drove Playmate Of The Year to run fourth (from the second row) for trainer Gareth Dixon, in the 2008 NZ Trotters Trust NZ Trotting Oaks at Addington.
Playmate Of The Year, by Muscles Yankee, is from Miss Whiplash (13 wins & $151,765), a former Rowe Cup runner-up for the Peter and Glen Wolfenden stable.
Miss Whiplash is now the dam of eight individual winners of 33 races including Wanna Play (T, 1:58.9, five wins & $91,191), Emma Hamilton (six wins & $77,387), Im Deminondaine (seven wins & $54,571), Royal Willie (six wins & $64,070), Sex On Fire (two NZ wins this term) and Dutch Annie (4 wins & $35,719), the latter the dam of four individual winner of 28 races including Hot Pants (T, 1:59.6), Yagunnakissmeornot (T, 1:57.6, 17 wins & $195,387) and Kissmeimloaded (1 win from 4 starts, 2017 N I Trot Oaks, retired to stud).
Miss Whiplash (Gee Whiz 11-Working Girl) is a half-sister to former top trot mare Lilly The Pink (TT, 1:57.9, 13 wins & $93,635, Inter Dom Heat winner and 3rd 1994 Inter Dom Trot Final in Sydney, for the late Carl Middleton, and also a half-sister to trot sire Stakhanovite (TT, 1:59.6, USA, 23 US wins & $192,760).
This is also the family of the brilliant Greg and Nina Hope-trained trot star, Enghien (T, 1:57.3, 15 wins from 25 starts for $375,203, NZ 2 & 3YO Trotter of the Year), along with Jazz Legend (22 wins & $223,912), Millburn Michael (T, 1:58.8, 19 wins & $136,316), Brylin Crescent (T, 1:57.5, 14 wins & $74,586), Gammel Dansk (16 wins & $86,905), Pink Diamond (T, 1:57.3, 9 wins & $67,338), Another Love (T, 2:00.9, 5 wins & $43,570) and Ottawa (5 wins & $46,474).