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HOLME FIRE NOTCHES 2ND NEVELE R HEAT

Holme Fire, first-up after a slight re-condition, claimed her second $18,000 Nevele R Fillies Heat, this time in the slush at the Hororata TC’s meeting at Addington on Friday, February 24.

The Courage Under Fire filly seems better since undergoing a minor wind operation after she won the Marlborough Nevele R Heat on mid January, missing about 10 days work.

She was sent out the favourite after a strong second at the Rangiora workouts last Saturday and proved too good on Friday night in the wet conditions for catch-driver Blair Orange.

Orange eased her to midfield early to get in the running line, three back on the outer, then peeled three wide at the 650m to range up to the pacemaking the Burning Question.

After going straight past the leader at the 400m, she kept going strongly to hold Gaylee’s Delight, who tried to go with her on the corner, but was left flat-footed for a few strides at the 300m.

Gaylee’s Delight rallied in the straight but couldn’t catch Holme Fire, who held by 1 1/4 lengths in 2:27.7 (2:01.8 mile rate) for the 1950m, the leaders running their last 800m in 60.1s and final 400m in 29s.

Holme Fire, the younger sister to open class pacer Pembrook Benny (1:53.4), furthered a good record for Queensland breeder-owner Greg Brodie.

This was her fourth win from eight starts, for $44,395 in earnings.

Holme Fire’s stablemate Christian Seel, the second favourite, was eased to the rear early and didn’t appear to be comfortable in the wet conditions. She ran on a shade in the straight for eighth.

HOLME FIRE 2ND IN RANGIORA WORKOUT

Marlborough Nevele R Fillies Heat winner Holme Fire resumed from a minor wind operation with a handy second to Jackaroo Bromac at the Rangiora workouts on Saturday, February 18.

The Courage Under Fire filly settled well in the trail for Scott Stewart behind Comply Or Die and finished well when clear for a neck second to Jackaroo Bromac (Wayne Higgs).

The winner moved up parked over the last 900m and held over the mobile 200m in 2:32.1 in the 1-win mobile pace, the leaders running their last 800m in 57.7s and final 400m in 28.1s.

Tiz Tough, four back on the markers mostly, was unable to reel in the leaders in the straight.

There is another Nevele R Fillies Heat at the Hororata meeting at Addington on Friday.

Stablemate Ardlussa Express also shaped well from a brief freshener in the 2-win or faster mobile pace over 2000m.

Also driven by Scott Stewart, Ardlussa Express settled three back on the markers behind Geo Star and Montecrengle.

However, Marlborough Cup winner Mister Presley, last early, moved up parked at the 800m, pressed to the front, and was too strong holding by three-quarters of a length, in 2:33.2, the leaders running their last 800m in 56.1s.

Ardlussa Express finished stoutly for second, with Geo Star, holding third, ahead of Montecrengle.

OK Courage contested the start of an earlier maiden workout, just for barrier practice, stepping safely but slowly.

Trainer Mark Jones intends running him from a stand in the Hororata Cup at Addington on Friday, then will reassess his future plans.

Mach Kana (Mach Three-Turkana), a two-year-old sister to stablemate Christian Seel (1:56.1), stepped out in the 2YO fillies pace.

She wasn’t hurried early and made some ground late wide for a five lengths second to front-running Donegal’s Lucy Creek, who paced the mobile 2000m in 2:40.7, the last 800m in 59.9s.

BUZZ COURAGE DELIVERS IN ADDINGTON MAIDEN

Buzz Courage, who features the bloodlines of two of owner Greg Brodie’s most successful racehorses, registered the 34th training win of the season for the Mark Jones stable at Addington on Thursday, February 16.

The win also put Overport Lodge junior reinsman Regan Todd into double figures for the term, moving to 10 wins for the season and 61 for his career.

Buzz Courage, by former champion pacer and successful sire Courage Under Fire, is from Honey Franco, a qualified but unraced sister to another former Grand Circuit pacer raced by Mr Brodie in Franco Hat Trick (1:52, US), who won 11 races from 45 starts in Australasia for $389,635 in stakes.

Franco Hat Trick, who won a New South Wales Derby at three, and a Chariots Of Fire at Harold Park at four, also won a further 17 times in North America, adding $261,240 to his career bankroll.

Honey Franco (Holmes Hanover-Heather Franco) is also a sister to another former top pacer in Franco Heir, who won a NZ Sires’ Stakes Final and the NSW Derby at three, winning 16 of 51 starts for $350,950.

Buzz Courage is unlikely to be quite as illustrious as his famous relations but continues to make good progress.

The half-brother to sub 2:00 pacers _ Franco Henry (1:58.8, 10 Aust. wins), Fancy Falcon (1:59.1, 11 Aust wins) and Sweet Falcon O’Mine (TT, 1:57.7) _ improved on a first-up second at Waikouaiti last Sunday to deliver as a $1.80 win favourite against a moderate field at Addington.

The green three-year-old almost threw away Thursday’s race when he paced roughly after 500m, going into a gallop, but Regan was able to get him down pacing again without doing too much damage to his chances.

Once back on an even keel, Regan sent him forward to the front with 1700m left to run in the mobile 2600m maiden.

He was too good in the run home, holding Live Jazz (Ken Barron) by three-quarters of a length, with outsider Streamline Boy boxing on after having an economical trip for Amber Lethaby to run third.

Buzz Courage paced the mobile 2600m in 3:20.4 (2:04 mile rate), running his last 800m in 60.2s and final 400m in 30.1s.

TELEMECANIQUE BACK IN NZ

Telemecanique, who returned from America to New Zealand in October, is just an outside chance to campaign in Sydney on this preparation.

Burnham co-owner Mark Jones says he wasn’t that happy with her after she resumed the 2-wins and faster mobile pace at the Addington workouts on Monday, January 30.

Telemecanique tailed the field throughout the mobile 1950m workout.

“If she doesn’t improve with a few more trials she can spell and work back through the winter,” he said.

“If she improves on this preparation she can race in Sydney.”

Telemecanique, a six-year-old Falcon Seelster mare, won four races and $82,777 in North America and Canada, pacing a career best 1:52.2 mile.

She returns on a 12-win assessment for handicapping, having won $185,615 lifetime.

Telemecanique won 11 of 30 NZ starts for $102,839 before her North American campaign.

It is intended to breed from the good-winning mare next season.

Stablemate Rockabella led for the opening 1000m of the 1950m workout, then trailed Fiery Achiever.

She wasn’t asked to come off Fiery Achiever’s back in the run home, the winner holding in a sedate 2:04.1 mile rate, quickening over his last 800m in 58.4s and final 400m in 28.2s. 

Rockabella, a last-start Marlborough winner, may contest a 2-win 2000m pace on the grass at the Amberley meeting at Rangiora next Monday.

BEAU BRUMMELL MASTERS WET FORBURY

Beau Brummell’s good manners led to his first 3YO trot win in unseasonal conditions over 2200m from a stand at Forbury Park on Thursday, January 26.

Driver Regan Todd was happy to trail front-running Maple Twist, who led the field in driving rain until nearing the final 400m.

Regan moved Beau Brummell out to pressure the leader at the 400m and he quickly had the situation in hand.

Beau Brummell kept going to score by two lengths with Maple Twist just holding favourite Galaxy Hunter for second.

The Earl gelding improved with two outings fresh-up at Marlborough on January 13 and 15, then was unlucky at Motukarara last Sunday.

Beau Brummell won once from six 2YO starts but claimed a NZ age group record over the mobile 2000m with a 2:34.4 run when he won at Timaru on May 1.

Beau Brummell is raced by Timaru accountant Graham Stoddart, “Beer” McCutheon, Kevin Schmack, P Darby, “Bub” Phillips and “Pup” Hulston.

He is the first foal from the unraced Lady Boo Kay, by Sundon from the former smart mare Zola’s Pride (eight trot wins for $60,660), a former NZ 4YO Trotting Mare of the Year and sister to Game Zola (1:59.4, US, five NZ wins).

Game Zola is now the dam of a smart North American trot winner in Game Speed (1:57.1, 24 USA wins for $208,337.

Lady Boo Kay is a half-sister to Whizola (2:00.6, US), the winner of four in NZ, and a sister to Sun Of Zola (three wins) and Don Keyotee (six wins for $45,352).

She is also a half-sister to minor winners, Zola’s Chiola (dam of other winners in Barefoot Zola, Theycallmesam and Zola’s Bud) and Kathleen K.

SASKIA FINN WINS IN 1:59.7 MILE RATE

Improving filly Saskia Finn earned “black type” rating at her sixth career start when she rated 1:59.7 for the 1950m to beat the 1-win pacers at Addington on Tuesday, January 24.

Saskia Finn responded to a perfect drive by Regan Todd, coming off a handy sit on the outer then switching to the inside to wear down front-running Motu Racy Girl in the Teltrac Communications Mobile Pace.

The daughter of Artsplace and Maggie Finn ran clear to win by two lengths to notch her second career win for owners Mike and Helen Finlayson, Nathan Brown, Brent Ward, Zac Guildford, and the Riverside Boxing Club Syndicate.  

“She got a little bit hairy (with her gait) in the straight but won well,” Regan said.

Saskia Finn was on a quick turnaround after running seventh to Castellina Lover in a 1-2 win pace at Motukarara last Sunday.

Burnham trainer Mark Jones says he will look for another easy option for Saskia Finn in the near future.

“It was penalty-free today and good to get black type with her.”

“We might even look at Manawatu with her. She’s done a good job so far,” he said.

The Mark Jones stable brought up their 29th training win for the term at the Addington Tuesdsay meeting, with stake earnings for the season just surpassing the $200k mark on $200,071.

Regan was recording his seventh driving win for the season and his 58th career driving win.

WESTERN FLARE LEAVES FOR SYDNEY

Western Flare has been sold out of the Mark Jones stable and is to become a stablemate again of Lethal Rocket in the Pheasants Nest (NSW) stable of Darren Hancock.

The five-year-old McArdle gelding left Overport Lodge the winner of three of his last four starts when placed to win at Manawatu and in Canterbury amateur driver races.

He credited Trevor Ward with his first tote driving win at Rangiora on December 7, with the combination repeating at Addington in Western Flare’s NZ swan-song at Addington on December 20.

Racing over mobile sprint distances at Menangle should suit the good front-runner.

Western Flare won 10 of 41 start in New Zealand for $41,868. He won his first three for Woodend trainers David and Catherine Butt, then added another seven wins after joining the Mark Jones stable late last year.

“I think he’s been sold to the same connections as Lethal Rocket,” Mark said.

“He did a good job for the Met Five Syndicate but it was going to be hard to place him in Canterbury after winning his way through to a tough grade,” he said.