JOHNNY FOX TOO SMART IN NELSON CUP PRELUDE & CUP
Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones could head south for the Group Three $40,000 Ascot Park Hotel Invercargill Cup (3200m) on January 24 with Nelson Cup winner Johnny Fox.
“He’s going great. We may look at the Invercargill Cup or something like that.”
“Its just a bit harder to place him as a six-win horse now,” he said.
Johnny Fox and Blair Orange, completed a smart winning Nelson double when taking out the $12,569 Nelson Pine Industries Nelson Cup on Sunday, January 11, 2014.
Mark Jones will attempt to extend a winning habit as a trainer in the Invercargill Cup, should Johnny Fox return south. Mark has won two of the last three Invercargill Cups, with Ohoka Texas (2012) and Saveapatrol.
The latter upstaged triple NZ Cup winner Terror To Love, last year, after 13 days earlier taking out the Marlborough Cup.
Johnny Fox caused concerns after a breathing problem came to a head on New Zealand Cup in November, but an overcheck and an anti-choking device (under his chin) have him racing better than ever.
The Western Terror gelding ran an improver’s second to Mossdale Conner first-up at Rangiora on December 31, then went from strength-to-strength at Nelson.
He sprinted a fast final 800m in 54.9s to run down Stradowan in the Cup Prelude on Friday, but was even more impressive pacing the same sectional over the longer 3000m trip to win on Sunday.
Johnny Fox, second last at the 800m, swept up sharply four wide on the home turn for Blair Orange, and had a good kick when he asked him to go at the 200m.
The Butterworth Racing Syndicate-owned pacer ran clear by three-quarters of a length from Stradowan, who had to settle for the bridesmaid tag again, after leading early, trailing King Cyril, and having every chance.
He paced the full 3000m in 3:49.8 (2:03.2 mile rate), and outside the the Nelson track and race mark of 3:47.4, set by Jason Rulz when beating Jackaroo Bromac in the 2013 Nelson Cup.
Johnny Fox, bred by the Wilson family of Winton, won his first five when racing for trainer Ian Wilson and briefly in Canterbury for Steve McRae, before being purchased by the Butterworth Syndicate.
He won second-up for the Mark Jones team and Michelle Neilson in a junior drivers pace at Addington in March last year, and despite having breathing issues, had shown high speed in his races.
Although the competition for him will get harder up the grades, he’s looking more relaxed and has a chance of realising his full potential.
Melbourne owners, Merv and Meg Butterworth, had another good day on both sides of the Tasman with Arden Rooney, formerly in the Mark Purdon/Natalie Rasmussen barn, running third first-up for Kerryn Manning in the $A60,505 Horsham Cup.
Arden Rooney enjoyed a good run through from the inside of the back row to trail on the outer. He fought solidly behind winner Philadelphia Man, who was too good after racing in the open outside a pulling favourite For a Reason.
Philadelphia Man was too strong, coming clear in a track record 1:58.1 rate (2700m) from stablemate Restrepo, who maintained a good three wide run from the rear over the final 900m.
By Jeff Scott