JELLIGNITE WINS IN 1:52.4
(My) Jellignite sprinted sharply fresh to win in career best 1:52.4 mile to take out the C5-7 $A7000 National Trotguide Pace at Menangle, NSW, on Tuesday, February 12.
The 5YO Courage Under Fire gelding was given a good trip, trailing on the outer by Ashlee Siejka, and stormed past leader Angel Gabrielle in the run home to win untested by 7.9 metres.
The leaders charged over the opening 800m in 55.1s and were running on empty tanks in the straight, the leaders running the last 400m in 28.8s.
Fellow Kiwi Victors Delight settled four back on the markers for trainer Steven Reid and couldn’t close in the run home, finishing fifth, 16.6 metres from the winner.
“We’ll try and win an MO over there with him now. Its a great place for him,” said trainer Mark Jones.
“They (Jellignite and younger brother Badjellys Courage) are just money making machines over there.”
Jellignite had been narrowly beaten when second to fellow Kiwi Miysis in the $A40,000 New Season Final at Menangle in September, won in 1:52.5, before being spelled in October.
The stablemates were sent to Syndey in August in search of more suitable racing opportunites.
Jellignite took his lifetime record to 12 wins and 17 placings from 46 starts for around $A85,000 in stakes.
TELLA – TWO NSW WINS
Tella, sold out of the Mark Jones stable after only two NZ starts, scored a winning doiuble in NSW, before being narrowly beaten into third on Thursday, February 28.
The 3YO Courage Under Fire-Tellalie filly was untroubled to lead throughout from the ace in the TAB Number One 3YO Pace at Newcastle on February 14 in 2:00.1 (1609m). She backed up winning again, scoring at Tamworth on February in a 2:00.8 rate (1980m) for trainer Rodney Pike.
She led from the nine gate at Newcastle third-up, getting caught late by swoopers, Black Belt and I’m Cool Harry (trail) in 1:58 (1609m).
Tella, bred and formerly owned by Greg Brodie, impressed on debut with a fast late finish for third at the Oamaru grass meeting last month for her former trainer.
JUNEAMY C. GAME FOURTH
Juneamy Castleton continues to shape as a leading contender for the upcoming Storer Motors NZ Trotters Oaks at Addington on March 22.
She ran a game fourth in the Group Three $25,000 Neumanns Bandag Hambletonian Classic Trot at Ashburton on Saturday, February 9.
The Mark Jones-trained filly was left without cover when Habibti pressed to the front from eventual winner Paramount Queen and fought gallantly in the run home, being racetimed in 2:00.3 for the 1609m.
Paramount Queen, after taking a sprint lane run when Habibti broke with 150m to run, held her stablemate Saratoga (handy outer) by a nose at the end of the mile in 1:59.7.
Sheemon, eased back from a wide front row draw, ran on well late for third, with Juneamy Castleton fourth, just ahead of Astral Traveller, who settled three back on the markers.
Favourite Royal Aspirations was out of play from the outset after galloping when the mobile arm was released.
ITZ NOSUPRISESTHERE SOLD
Former Overport Lodge filly Itz Nosurprisesthere was a good first-up third in her Australian debut in the Group Three $A40,000 Harness Breeders NSW Raith Memorial at Menangle on Saturday night after being sold to clients of Dean Braun’s Victoria stable.
The daughter of McArdle and Itz Queen Of New York raced with a flat tyre over the final 800m finishing solidly from the third line for driver Luke McCarthy to finish 2.7m from NZ-bred winner Musical Delight (3f Bettor’s Delight-Top Tempo), who stormed home from back in the running to win in 1:53.1 for the 1609m.
In an all NZ-bred finish, Musical Delight scored from Ohyouluckything (Jereme’s Jet-Cadillac Cully).
Itz Nosurprisesthere was sold by owners Bob and Nola McMeeking out of the Mark Jones stable after being racetimed in 1:55.5 when second to Azarenka in the Blenheim Nevele R Fillies Heat on January 11.
She was earlier a winner in a 1:59.8 rate over 2200m at Gore on December 27, and raced just six times in NZ for two wins and two seconds for $12,172.
New trainer Dean Braun told HRV Communciations Officer Blake Redden she is a really nice filly.
“I haven’t had her that long so we are still trying to work her out,” Braun said.
“We brought her with the New South Wales Oaks as her primary target and then we will work out whether we go to Queensland or Western Australia maybe.”
Braun is having good success with other former Cantab pacers in last season’s NZ Messenger winner Mustang Mach, and Corzin Terror, unbeaten in five starts this term.