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TABCORP AUSTRALASIAN BREEDERS CROWN BEGINS

The 2010 Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown has commenced with the first heats of this year’s series run at the Rangiora meeting at Addington on Tuesday, June 15.

(The first heat resulted in a ‘walk-over’ win for the Mark Jones-trained Commander Jewel as the only acceptor in the $5000 2YO Trot Heat. The daughter of CR Commando and In De Fence, raced by “Jim” McDonald, credited stable employee Richard Lee with his first official driving win. The 2nd $5000 heat for 3YO trotters was won by the Gerard O’Reilly-trained Endeavour Sunset by 9 lengths over Ali B) 

The 2 and 3YO trotting qualifiers were the first of around 85 Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown races to be run throughout Australia and New Zealand between now and Sunday, August 22.

That’s when the $1.56 million raceday, featuring nine Group 1 finals, will be run at Melton’s Tabcorp Park.

Harness Racing Victoria chief executive John Anderson said Tuesday’s commencement was the start of a 10-week build-up to one of the biggest days in Australian harness racing.

“The Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown has become one of the great series in harness racing and the launch of a new series is always an exciting time,” Anderson said.

“It gives Breeders Crown-eligible horses of all gaits and ages their shot at some of the most lucrative purses in harness racing and there will be no shortage of action over the next couple of months.”

Following Tuesday’s heats, the series moves to Auckland next Tuesday where the North Island’s 2 and 3YO trotters have a shot at booking a trip across the Tasman.

Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown action reaches Australian shores on Friday, June 25 when both the 3YO fillies and the colts and geldings get their chance to impress at Adelaide’s Globe Derby.

Heats continue at Brisbane’s Albion Park, Pinjarra in Western Australia, Hobart and Launceston in Tasmania and western Sydney’s Menangle before the host state gets its first taste of action for 2010.

The initial Victorian heats will be for 2YO fillies at Shepparton on July 26 with action continuing at Kilmore, Bendigo, Ballarat, Maryborough and Geelong over the following eight days.

Action hots up on Friday night, August 13 when the 2 and 3YO semi finals launch a massive nine days of finals action and associated activities.

Four-year-old heats will be run at a twilight fixture on Sunday, August 15 before attention turns to the inaugural Breeders Crown Golf Day at Eynesbury on Wednesday, August 18.

The next morning will see another first, Breakfast With The Stars at Tabcorp Park, while the Breeders Crown Gala Preview Dinner will be held in conjunction with the consolation finals on Friday night, August 20.

Anderson said the addition of a social calendar would enhance the Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown’s chances of being considered the premier event on the Australian harness calendar.

“It has long been the plan to increase the social standing of the Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown and that will happen with the introduction of a social calendar for this year’s series,” he said.

“It adds another dimension to what has already become one of the great harness racing carnivals.”

Full details on the Tabcorp Australasian Breeders Crown social calendar and a full race schedule for this year’s series is available at www.breederscrown.com.au

Courtesy of Brad Bishop, HRV Media Manager

EASY FOR KAHDON IN VICTORIA OAKS

Mark Jones notched his 2nd Group One training win in feature 3YO trot features for the season when newcomer Kahdon delivered in the $A50,000 Dallas Building Victoria Oaks at Melton on Friday, June 11.

The Burnham trainer-driver had only been the official trainer of Kahdon for only six days, but his experience in campaigning horses in Australia, ensured there were no hiccups along the way.

Once he had an emergency passport rushed through last week, the rest of the Victoria Oaks mission went without a hitch.

The former world champion driver had previously tasted feature race successes in Australia, winning both the 2001 NSW Pacing Oaks and Australasian Breeders Crown 3YO Pacing Fillies Final with the Sparks A Flyin, and the 2001 Breeders Crown 3YO Trot Final with Locofoco.   

Mark had no problems with Kahdon, working through the back row to find the back of second favourite Good Thanks (Chris Lang), who was on the move three wide in the middle stages.

Good Thanks worked to the front with 700m to run with Kahdon stalking her in the open.

Rounding the home turn, Kahdon strode clear and was untroubled to run clear by 7.4 metres over her closest rival, Jingling Silver, with a further 5.2 metres back to She’s Commando.

Africa’s daughter Amelia Darling, at long odds, ran on for 4th, with Good Thanks tiring in the run home to run 10th, 42.3m from  the winner.

Kahdon, closely-related to former champion squaregaiter Lyell Creek, rated 2:03.4 for the mobile 2230m, with the leaders running their last 800m in 60.7s and final 400m in 30.2s.

Owner Peter Chambers, in NZ last week for the Harness Jewels,  was unable to be on hand for the Group One win in Victoria. He was in London on business but was delighted with the result.

Mr Chambers acted quickly to purchase Kahdon when told she could be purchased by Christchurch agent Stu Bailey, following the withdrawal of Shezoneoftheboyz from the Harness Jewels 3YO Ruby.

Mr Bailey had also been instrumental in the purchase of Shezoneoftheboyz for the same owner a few months earlier.

Shezoneoftheboyz credited Mark Jones with his first Group One training win the NZ Trotting Derby at Addington on March 26.

Mr Chambers was well aware of Kahdon’s ability after Shezoneoftheboyz had raced Kahdon for much fo the last two months, and was keen to secure her for racing and breeding purposes.

Kahdon will remain in Victoria for heats of the Victoria Trotters Derby to be run on July 3, 7 and 10, with the $A75,000 Victoria Trotters Derby to be run at Maryborough on July 18.

She will also remain in Victoria for a crack at the $A93,000 Australasian Breeders Crown 3YO Trot Final at Tabcorp Park on August 22.

By Jeff Scott

KAHDON HEALTHY FOR VICTORIA OAKS START

Kahdon has settled in perfectly at Craig Demmler’s Parwan stables in preparation for the $A50,000 Dallas Building Victoria Trotting Oaks at Melton at 9.42pm (NZ time) on Friday, June 10.

New trainer Mark Jones says the Sundon filly hasn’t left an oat since arriving in Melbourne on Sunday afternoon.

“I jogged her on the lead on Monday and Tuesday, then worked her over two miles in 4.55 on Wednesday. Hopefully thats all she needs,” Mark said.

Kahdon didn’t require much work this week in view of her tough run for second to Vulcan in last Saturday’s Harness Jewels 3YO Ruby at Cambridge, then her trip across the Tasman.

She will start from two on the back row and Mark feels the extra distance, compared to last week’s Jewels, will suit.

The best of the Aussie fillies appears to be the Chris Lang-trained Good Thanks, a daughter of S J’s Photo, who has won 4 of her 7 career starts including a last-start win in the $A20,000 NSW Trotters Oaks at Harold Park on May 21.

Good Thanks led in the NSW Oaks and held Elusive Charm by 4.4 metres in a 2:05.8 rate for the 2160m, running her last 800m in 60.8s and final 400m in 29.6s.

She earlier rated 2:05 over 2180m to win a 3YO trot at Kilmore on April 23, and 2:06.5 over 2170m to win a 3YO trot at Cobram on April 12.

The field also features Landoras Pearl, a former stablemate of Kahdon when both were trained at Leeston by Paul Nairn.

Landoras Pearl, now trained by Graeme Lang, ran 6th behind Shezoneoftheboyz in the NZ Trot Derby at Addington on March 26 then was exported to Australia after running 11th in Emma Hamilton’s NZ Trot Oaks at Addington on April 9.

She ran 7th of 12 at her first Victorian start in The Holmfield at Tabcorp Park on June 4.

Landora’s Pearl starts from the inside of the back row.

Another Oaks contender of interest to Kiwis is Amelia Darling, a daughter of Kadabra and Africa, a dual Interdominion Trot Final runnerup for former Christchurch owner Trevor Casey.

Africa was the runnerup to Special Force in the 1999 Auckland Interdominion Trotting Grand Final, then the runnerup again 12 months later behind Lyell Creek in the $A500,000 Interdominion Trot Final at Moonee Valley, when driven by Ricky May.

Africa was trained for most of her NZ racing by Bruce Negus,  but was trained for her Interdominion 2nds by Mark Purdon. She won 11 races and $226,243 in stakes in Australasia, then took a 1:56.6 mile mark in North America.

Amelia Darling, who also has a back row draw on Friday night, has won 4 of 23 starts for trainer Corry Van Ryn.

Kahdon will remain with Demmler after the Victorian Oaks until after the $A93,000 Breeders Crown Final on August 22, with Mark to return to drive her in the Australian features.

Mark intends to give her a decent break after the Breeders Crown with the Group Three First Sovereign Trust 4YO Trotters Championship at Addington in March-April her first target next term.

MARK TO TRAIN KAHDON FOR AUST. FEATURES

Burnham trainer Mark Jones was Melbourne-bound on Sunday, June 6, with exciting 3YO trot filly Kahdon.

The NZ Sires Stakes Trotters Championshp and Northern Trotting Oaks winner joined Mark’s team after her game 2nd to Vulan in the $100,000 3YO Jewels Ruby at Cambridge on Saturday, June 5.

The Sundon filly was vetted and her sale confirmed on the Monday before the Jewels by Jakarta-based businessman Peter Chambers, who also has Shezoneofheboyz in the Mark Jones stable.

“She’s never ever going to go as good for anyone other than Paul Nairn. Paul’s been more than helpful with his advice,” Mark said.

After favourite Miami H was out of play with an early gallop in the Jewels, Mark made the most of Kahdon’s strong staying qualities, but they were made to work a shade harder than anticipated after Vulcan (Anthony Butt) wouldn’t surrender the lead when pressured in the 3rd quarter.

The improving Vulcan kept up a smart front-running run, holding by a length, in 1:58 for the mile, with Kahdon a gallant runnerup after having to work for much of the mile from her back row alley.

Kahdon will now contest the $A50,000 Victoria Trotters Oaks at Tabcorp Park, Melton, next Friday night.

“She’ll probably then go for the Victoria Trotters Derby ($A75,000 at Maryborough on July 18) and the Breeders Crown ($A93,000 at Tabcorp Park, August 22),” Mark said.

“She’s been bought mainly as a broodmare, but they’re only three once so we’ll have a look at those races,” Mark said.

“We’re going on Paul Nairn’s advice as those were the races he had in mind for her anyway.”

Kahdon will be based at Craig Demmler’s property, as Demmler is owner Peter Chambers Victorian-based trainer.

After the Victoria Oaks, Mark will return to NZ then go back to Melbourne to prepare her for the Derby.

“I’ll probably look go over and drive her in the big races,” Mark said.

“Its a good chance for myself, Craig and Peter Chambers  to work in together. Hopefully we can continue to work in with each other for many years,” he said.

Kahdon is from Kahola, a Chiola Hanover half-sister to Kahlum, the dam of globe-trotting champion Lyell Creek, and also a half-sister to former good pacing winner Swan Creek.

Meanwhile, NZ Trotting Derby winner Shezoneoftheboyz has been sent to the spelling paddock for three months after breaking at the Cambridge workouts, a week prior to the Jewels.

“She is going through a growth spurt so she can go out. She may have a racing stint Craig Demmler next season,” Mark said.

Shezoneoftheboyz raced 9 times this season _ winning her first five straight _ including holding out Kahdon in the NZ Trotting Derby at Addington in March, for $76,624 in stakes.

By Jeff Scott