Mark buys one at Christchurch sale

J Scott Latest News

HALF-SISTER TO PEMBROOK BENNY FOR OVERPORT LODGE

Burnham trainer Mark Jones added to his yearling stock by securing New Moment, a half-sister by Art Major to 2013 NZ Free-For-All winner Pembrook Benny (1:53.6, 22 wins & $898,104), at the NZ Bloodstock Standardbred Sales in Christchurch on Wednesday.

The filly is also a half-sister to former previous Overport Lodge winners, Holme Fire (1:58.8, five wins at two and three, $69,488) and Northern Velocity (1:56.6, 12 wins & $188,264), and a; half-sister to other smart fillies/mares in Pembrook Caesar (1:53, 10 wins & $77,433) and (Sparkling) Tachyon (1:55.5, four wins & $47,377).

New Moment

Mark secured the winning bid for the filly on behalf of stable clients, John and Jill Hartnell.

“They have bought her with the option of putting her through the Ready To Run sale further down the track,” Mark said.

New Moment’s dam Northern Franco (Falcon Seelster-Natural Appeal) is a qualified but unraced half-sister to further “black type” winners in Franco Natura (1:51.8, US, 25 wins & $262,590), Franco No Fear, Napa Franco and Nature Franco, the latter the dam of fast Menangle winner Eh Ef El,1:51.5, 13 wins & $112,262, along with Franco Nepia, 1:54.1, 14 wins) and Lively GNP (1:57.8, six wins).

Grand-dam Natural Appeal (p3, 1:59, five wins) was an El Patron half-sister to former smart Victorian pacer and Inter Dominion Heat winner, Panyan (1:57.3, 29 wins & $176,731), Rare Charm (p3, 1:59, four wins, dam of Glossy, 1:53.2, US, 25 wins) and Robin Butt’s 1986 Superstars 4YO Championship winner Pathfinder.

This is also the family of 1:50 USA winer Universal Dream (35 wins & $283,007) and Rock On Holmes (1:51.4, US, 30 wins & $114,316).

 

 

NZ METRO-NEWCASTLE (NSW), Feb 22-23

J Scott The Inside Word

NZ METRO TC, Friday, Feb. 22

Race 10: SMOKE N REACTOR (3, Laura McKay), mob. 1980m: “Drawn good but been disappointing race-day.”

NEWCASTLE (NSW), Saturday, Feb. 23

Millwood Tilly, makes her race debut in a 2YO fillies pace at Newcastle on Saturday night.

 

Race 6: THE BUS (4, Guy Chappie), mob. 2030m: “Is in a winnable race.”

 

Race 9: MISTER FINNIGAN (6, Mark), mob. 1609m: “Went good last week and a good chance.”

 

Race 10: MILLWOOD TILLY (5, Mark), mob. 1609m: “Ok filly who has a winning chance.”

Mark Jones buys $100,000 filly at Karaka

J Scott Latest News

MARK BUYS $100,000 FILLY AT KARAKA 

Burnham trainer Mark Jones outlaid $100,000 to secure La Rosa, a yearling sister to Group One-placed 3YO filly Buzinga (p3, 1:56.8), and two-year-old Young Guns Heat place-getter Dr Susan (1;57.2), at NZ Bloodstock’s National Standardbred Yearling Sale at Karaka on Monday, February 18, 2019.

By champion sire Bettor’s Delight, La Rosa is just the third foal from Safedra (p3, 1:56.3), who numbered a win in the Group Two 2013 Southland Oaks among her 10 wins from 48 starts for $135,577 in stakes.

Safedra (by Mach Three) also chase home champion filly Adore Me in the 2013 New Zealand Oaks at Addington at Group One level when prepared by one of Mark’s old bosses in Cran Dalgety.

Mark Jones scores one of his big driving wins with La Rosa’s grand-dam (The) Sparks A Flyin in the 2001 Australasian Breeders Crown 3YO Fillies Final at Moonee Valley, Melbourne.

Mark reined Safedra’s dam (The) Sparks A Flyin to Group One wins in the 2001 Australasian Breeders Crown 3YO Fillies Final at Moonee Valley, and the Nevele R Fillies Final, when driving for the Dalgety stable, and that filly’s owners, Jim and Susan Wakefield.

Sparks A Flyin was a top international winner, pacing 1:52 in the USA and retiring a winner of 21 races for the equivalent of $NZ627,218.

She was also a consistently successful broodmare, with her first six foals to race, all good winners, namely Bettor’s Fire (1:52.6, 45 wins  & $845,437), (My) Alpha Rock (1:49.5, Aust, 16 wins & $166,014), Art Union (1:55.6, 17 wins & $210,120 including a Victoria Derby Heat), (Dominating) Diomedes (1:57.5, Aust, 12 wins & $87,994), Empyrean (1:56.2, 10 wins & $121,302) and Safedra.

Mark had one drive behind Bettor’s Fire in the early stages of that horse’s strong career, running second on the grass at Methven.

This is also the family of another big international winner in Bettor Rock On (1:50, US, 32 wins & $464,141.

La Rosa was offered by Southland breeders, Taffy Ltd, who secured her purchased her in 2017, after Chrissie Dalgety, wife of Cran Dalgety, bred earlier Bettor’s Delight sisters, Buzinga and Dr Susan, from Safedra.

 

Delightful Memphis wins USA mares pace

J Scott Latest News

DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS WINS OPEN MARES PACE

Former Overport Lodge mare Delightful Memphis lifted her 2019 USA earnings to $US61,250 with victory in a $44,000 mares pace at Yonkers Raceway, New York, on Saturday (NZ time).

The Bettor’s Delight-Memphis Melody mare has now won four of five starts for the year, and finished second in the other for the Richard “Nifty” Norman stable.

Delightfulmemphisn, shown winning at Yonkers, New York, on February 16. (Photo by Katy Gazzini).

She settled fourth for driver Jason Bartlett but unwound strongly to win by a length in 1:53 on the half-mile track.

Delightful Memphis, racing as Delightfulmemphisn in the USA, won 11 of 36 Australasian starts for the Mark Jones stable, earning the equivalent of over $NZ330,000.

Meanwhile, former West Melton pacer Don Domingo, is the early seasonal leader among the aged pacers in North America.

The former Ken Barron-trained pacer has won five of six starts for the year, earning $US66,550 and taking a 1:53.8 record on a half-mile track.

Elusive Chick’s first foal wins debut

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LULU LE MANS UNTROUBLED IN NEWCASTLE DEBUT

Lulu Le Mans, the first foal from big-winning racemare Elusive Chick (1:53.1), was untroubled to win her Newcastle (NSW) debut for the Mark Jones stable on Friday night, February 15.

A two-year-old by champion sire Bettor’s Delight, Lulu Le Mans was sent out a hot $1.33 favourite for the HRNSW Guaranteed Two-Year-Old Pace.

Lulu Le Mans, shown warming up for Mark Jones at the Rangiora trials on January 31.

She led throughout for trainer Mark Jones, winning by 17.2 metres in a 2:02.4 rate for the 1609m, quickening over her last 800m in 57.5s and her final 400m in 28.3s.

Lulu Le Mans is raced by five of her breeders, Derek and Adele Jones, of Rolleston, Gary and Karen Tomes, of Rangiora, and Gary McConchie, of Kaiapoi.

The same partnership, along with Greg Ayers, raced Elusive Chick (McArdle-Annie Jay) from the Tim Butt stable to win 13 of 58 starts for $418,586.

Elusive Chick won the 2013 Group One Woodlands Stud 4YO Harness Jewels Diamond at Ashburton in 1:54.7, while she ran second to O Baby in the 3YO Harness Jewels Diamond at Cambridge.

She was also second best behind O Baby in the 2012 Nevele R Fillies Final at Addington.

She ran thirds behind Bettor Cover Lover and Tatijana Bromac in both the 2012-2013 Group One mares races, the Woodlands Queen Of Hearts at Auckland, and the NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes at Addington.

In Australia, Elusive Chick ran fifth in Adore Me’s historic 1:47.7 Group One Ladyship Mile at Menangle in 2015.

She also ran fourth in the 2013 Ladyship Mile (won by Our Sixpence in 1:52.6, while she won the Group Three Ranji Bill Stakes at Menangle in 1:53.1.

Mark Jones drove Elusive Chick to run second in the 2013 Group Two Smoken Up at Menangle over the 2300m, won by My Dusky Sound in a 1:55.6 rate.

She was also the runner-up in the 2012 NSW Oaks at Menangle, when driven by Colin De Filippi.

Mark expected her to be very hard to beat after qualifying at Rangiora on January 30, then also shaping well in a Rangiora workout on February 7.

Meanwhile, Mister Finnigan, who started the second favourite in the Trots TV Two-Year-Old Pace for the colts and geldings, had to settle for a half-neck second to front-running winner Rocklea Star.

The Mitch Chappie-trained and Guy Chappie-driven Rocklea Star held in 1:58.2 for the 1609m.

Mister Finnigan, who settled three back on the markers, moved out to challenge mid-way down the back the last time and went down fighting.

On the domestic front, the Overport Lodge stable brought up the 18th win of the season when improving three-year-old Barrett won at Addington on Friday night.

Barrett, freshened after beating Kendra with a late finish at Roxburgh on January 3, was again saved for a home stretch sprint by Sheree Tomlinson.

Shuffled four back on the markers, Sheree waited for an inside run and didn’t have to leave the markers.

Barrett stormed home to catch front-running favourite Spot On in the last stride, winning by a head in a useful 3:18.7 for the stand start 2600m.

The Australian-bred Bettor’s Delight colt was recording his third win in his last four starts for owners, Grant Hatton, Starmark Ltd, and Stuart Gillan.

Mr Hatton, who also co-races Mister Finnigan, had a Menangle placing on Saturday night with The Bus, who continued his strong form for the Mark Jones stable.

From an outside gate, The Bus fought well for third to the Tim Butt-trained Franco Landry, who cut out the mile in 1:51.4.

NZ METRO-NEWCASTLE-OAMARU-MENANGLE, Feb. 15-16

J Scott The Inside Word

NZ METRO TC, Friday, Feb 15

Race 2: MICHELLE (16, Sheree Tomlinson), UR, fr, 2600m std: “A chance if she trots away off the unruly.”

Race 8: SIOUX PRINCESS (7, Sheree Tomlinson), UR, fr, 2600m std: “Hasn’t been stepping but did everything right at the Ashburton trials on Tuesday. Will need to step and just an outside place show in a very strong field.”

Race 10: BARRETT (7, Sheree Tomlinson), 3, 10m, 2600m std: “He’s freshened up after winning well at Roxburgh in early January. Had a run at the workouts last week and with the right luck is a first four chance.”

NEWCASTLE (NSW), Friday, Feb 15

(Mister) Finnigan, shown at the Rangiora trials late last month. The Aust-bred returns across the Tasman for his race debut at Newcastle on Friday night.

Race 9: (MISTER) FINNIGAN (5, Mark), mob. 1609m: “Draws the strongest field and taken a while to settle in but he’ll be a strong each-way hope.”

Race 10: LULU LE MANS (2, Mark), mob. 1609m: “Nice filly drawn well and seems well. Unknown opposition but I’m sure she be very hard to beat.”

OAMARU HRC, Saturday, Feb. 16

Race 6: SMOKE N REACTOR (6, Blair Orange), mob. 2000m: “Disappointed fresh at Amberley but in the right race and usually competitive on the grass.”

MENANGLE (NSW), Saturday, Feb. 16

Race 10: THE BUS (11, Guy Chappie), mob. 1609m: “Racing great breaking the track record last week, but draw makes it very tough at Menangle.”

MANAWATU HRC, Thursday, Feb. 14

J Scott The Inside Word

MANAWATU HRC, Thursday, Feb. 14

Race 4: ROCK N JOY (2, Sheree Tomlinson), mob. 2000m: “Was held up just a shade too long on the turn on Tuesday but fought on ok. From the draw, should be a strong each-way chance.”

MANAWATU HRC, Tues. Feb. 12

J Scott The Inside Word

MANAWATU HRC, Tuesday, February 12

Race 5: ROCK N JOY (8, Sheree Tomlinson), mob. 2000m: “Tricky draw but an each-way chance with the right luck.”

AMBERLEY TC, Wed., Feb 6

J Scott The Inside Word

AMBERLEY TC (grass) @ RANGIORA, Wed., Feb. 6

Race 8: SMOKE N REACTOR (12, Samantha Ottley), mob. 1950m: “Has been good on the grass and should get a good run through. Could upset.”

Race 10: MICHELLE (SCR) & SIOUX PRINCESS (6, Mark), UR, 2600m std: “Has galloped her last two so will drive her this week and see what’s going on. Upset place if manners hold.”

Mark’s outside drives

Race 6: ROCKNROLL ROD (2), mob. 1950m: “Big three-year-old who went good first-up at Addington last month and a good each-way chance.”

Race 9: BACK IN BLACK (2), 10m, 2600m std: “Continued his good south form at Motukarara last week. It’s a strong field, but a chance again.”

Ex-stablemates win in USA

J Scott Latest News

EX-OVERPORT LODGE DUO WIN IN USA

Former Overport Lodge pacers, Delightfulmemphisn and Whittaker added to their North American careers last weekend.

Delightfulmemphisn took her 2019 earnings to just short of $US40,000 when leading throughout in a $29,000 fillies and mares pace at Yonkers, New York.

Driven by Jason Bartlett for trainer “Nifty” Norman, the Bettor’s Delight-Memphis Melody mare held by half a length in 1:54 on the half-mile Yonkers track.

Whittaker returned to winning form at the Big M in North America on Sunday (NZ time).

The Sportswriter entire made the most of the inside draw in a $13,650 conditioned pace, trailing third, then finishing best to score in 1:51.4 for the mile.

Whittaker, trained in North America by Mitchell Mac Kenzie, reeled off a final quarter in 27.4s for driver Eric Carlson.

He preceeded Sunday’s win with a second at the Big M on January 26, when race-timed in a faster 1:50.6.