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ASHBURTON WINTER CUP FOLLOWS QUEENSLAND OAKS SUCCESS

Christchurch owners, Hamish Scott and Dr Kim Lawson, followed up their Gr. 2 Queensland Oaks victory on Saturday night with the Andrew Stuart stable, by also sharing in the success of Sunday Ashburton winner, Si Si Senior, for the Mark Jones stable.

The owners co-bred and co-race $75,540 Queensland Oaks winner Sociable, who after being run down in front a week ago, was driven with a sit this week by Luke McCarthy.

Sociable, a daughter of the unraced Buy Kiwi Made (Presidential Ball-Kiwi Express), a half-brother to top mare Kiwi Ingenuity (1:52.1), charged home with a well-timed finish to win the Oaks by half a neck in a 1:55.9 rate for the 2138m.

Sociable had earlier run fifth in the Victorian Oaks and had won the Redcliffe Oaks on her Australian sojourn.

The filly, who won both her NZ starts impressively, before venturing to Australia, has now five of 11 starts for $85,304.

Si Si Senor, who finished best from the trail on Sunday for driver Sam Ottley in the R40 and faster Ashburton ITM Winter Cup, was second-up since resuming from a January let-up.

The three-year-old Courage Under Fire gelding was notching his second win in 11 starts under group ownership, which also includes Gavin Saunders (who raced 1989 NZ Cup winner Inky Lord), wife Sherryn, WDC 03 Ltd (trainer Mark Jones’ business), Pete Smith, L Burney and Mark Calcott.

Si Si Senor, who looked set for a comfortable win until Boomer Bailey (Dexter Dunn) had other ideas after being headed, did enough to hold by a nose in 3:04.8 (2400m), the leaders last 800m in 55.9s.

He’s bred to be above average, being by a former champion youngster and a brother to smart winner Mongolian Storm (1:54.5, six wins & $98,904).

Their dam Zoe Maguire (Falcon Seelster-Pure Prestige) is an unraced mare from a half-sister to U Legend (1:55.8, US, six NZ wins)/

Pure Prestige is from the unbeaten Windshield Star, whose three wins included the 1990 Cheviot 2YO Fillies Stakes.

This is the same family as other former smart Canterbury winner Brilliant Strike (1:56.2, 10 NZ wins from 35 starts) and Double R (1:51.2, US).

FANCY WOMAN, CARLAS PIXEL, OUR DREAMLOVER, WIN FOR MARK DENYER

Overport Lodge trot filly Fancy Woman, rewarded for consistency with her maiden win at her 13th start at Forbury on July 12, opened a big-winning weekend for Gold Coast owner Mark Denyer.

Mr Denyer had a red-letter night at Albion Park, Brisbane, on Saturday night, winning the Gr. 2 2018 Seelite Windows & Doors Queensland Trotters Cup with upset winner, Our Dreamlover, for Victorian trainer-driver, Mattie Craven.

Our Dreamlover, who initially won twice in NZ as Dreamlover for the Ken Barron stable, was racking up his 15th win from 49 starts, taking his career earnings to $149,882, beating fellow ex-Kiwis in Gee Up Neddy, Our Overanova and Southern Alps.

Carlas Pixel,shown beating former NZ mare Delishka, in the Gr. 1 Ladyship Mile at Menangle in February. (Photo courtesy of New South Wales Harness Racing).

He also co-owns top 4YO mare Carlas Pixel, (by Courage Under Fire), winner of Saturday night’s Listed $25,540 Egmont Park Stud 2018 Fleur De Lil Ladyship Stakes at Albion Park in 1:53.5.

Carlas Pixel (4m Courage Under Fire-Pixel Perfect), who has a 1:49.5 mile mark, set in the Gr.1 Ladyship Mile at Menangle in February, has raced 46 times for 16 wins and 15 placings, for $343,483 in stakes.

Mr Denyer also races another well-bred filly in the Mark Jones stable in Naiya Franco (3f Mach Three-Nearea Franco), the beaten favourite but a sound fifth from the outside of the second row in the final race at Ashburton on Sunday.

He also raced Elianna Franco (1:57.6), a three-year-old Mach Three filly from Elisit Franco, who was exported to Australia after winning at her fourth start at Oamaru in January for the Mark Jones stable.

She has had one placing in two Victorian starts.

There was more good news for Mr Denyer when Elianna Franco’s close relative Franco Edward (2c American Ideal-Edinburgh Franco) won the $125,000 Tabtouch 2YO Golden Slipper at Gloucester Park, Perth.

Franco Edward, trained and driven by Kyle Harper, overcame the second row to rate 1:56.2 for the 2130m.

He has now won three and been twice placed from five starts.

Franco Edward, who has a fastest winning mile rate of 1:54.2 over 1684m at Pinjarra, is from an unraced Changeover half-sister to Elianna Franco.

Elianna Franco and Franco Edward’s dam Edinburgh Franco after from Elisit Franco (1:57.1, three wins).

Elisit Franco, by Falcon Seelster, is also the dam of former top NZ pacer Franco Emirate (1:53.8, 14 wins from 33 starts for $332,820) and successful Perth mare Eden Franco (1:54.1, 12 wins from 28 starts for $115,945).

Elisit Franco is also a half-sister to former top NZ, Aust. & USA pacer Franco Enforce (28 wins, 1:50.6, US), winner of the 1996 Gr1 NZ Sires Stakes 3YO Final, and both the 1997 Gr1 Australian and Queensland Derbys.

Fancy Woman, rewarded at Forbury last Thursday for owner Mark Denyer, and the Overport Lodge team.

Forbury winner Fancy Woman, who remained in the south between latest starts with Wyndham caretaker trainer Craig Ferguson, made the most of another good start for driver, Sheree Tomlinson.

The three-year-old Majestic Son filly led throughout and lengthened out for Sheree in the run home to hold by three-quarters of a length.

Fancy Woman could add to her record, being from a strong trot family, which tends to develop with time.

She is the third foal and first winner from Playmate Of The Year, who raced only seven times for two wins and three placings.

Mark Jones drove Playmate Of The Year to run fourth (from the second row) for trainer Gareth Dixon, in the 2008 NZ Trotters Trust NZ Trotting Oaks at Addington.

Playmate Of The Year, by Muscles Yankee, is from Miss Whiplash (13 wins & $151,765), a former Rowe Cup runner-up for the Peter and Glen Wolfenden stable.

Miss Whiplash is now the dam of eight individual winners of 33 races including Wanna Play (T, 1:58.9, five wins & $91,191), Emma Hamilton (six wins & $77,387), Im Deminondaine (seven wins & $54,571), Royal Willie (six wins & $64,070), Sex On Fire (two NZ wins this term) and Dutch Annie (4 wins & $35,719), the latter the dam of four individual winner of 28 races including Hot Pants (T, 1:59.6), Yagunnakissmeornot (T, 1:57.6, 17 wins & $195,387) and Kissmeimloaded (1 win from 4 starts, 2017 N I Trot Oaks, retired to stud).

Miss Whiplash (Gee Whiz 11-Working Girl) is a half-sister to former top trot mare Lilly The Pink (TT, 1:57.9, 13 wins & $93,635, Inter Dom Heat winner and 3rd 1994 Inter Dom Trot Final in Sydney, for the late Carl Middleton, and also a half-sister to trot sire Stakhanovite (TT, 1:59.6, USA, 23 US wins & $192,760).

This is also the family of the brilliant Greg and Nina Hope-trained trot star, Enghien (T, 1:57.3, 15 wins from 25 starts for $375,203, NZ 2 & 3YO Trotter of the Year), along with Jazz Legend (22 wins & $223,912), Millburn Michael (T, 1:58.8, 19 wins & $136,316), Brylin Crescent (T, 1:57.5, 14 wins & $74,586), Gammel Dansk (16 wins & $86,905), Pink Diamond (T, 1:57.3, 9 wins & $67,338), Another Love (T, 2:00.9, 5 wins & $43,570) and Ottawa (5 wins & $46,474).

HIS ROYAL HARNESS SCORES PENALTY-FREE ADDINGTON WIN

Friday the 13th may have been unlucky for some but not for the new ownership group of Addington winner, His Royal Harness, consisting of Mitchell Robertson, Steve Hill, Alastair McLay, Mike Moore and the Fomo (fear of missing out) Syndicate.

Tony Cameron

The former Chris McDowell-trained pacer arrived at the Overport Lodge stables of Mark Jones in fit condition less than a week before delivering first-up in style.

Visiting Ardmore horseman Tony Cameron picked up the drive as part of the McMillan Equine Feeds NZ Junior Drivers Champs series and delivered a timely penalty-free win for connections.

Tony, who works for Ardmore trainer Tony Herlihy, finished seventh-equal overall in the Junior Series as fellow northerner, Morrinsville-based Alicia Harrison, took out the series with 49 points, three wins clear of Hamilton’s Ben Butcher.

This was Tony Cameron’s 24th win for the season. He trails Matt Anderson (42), Ben Butcher (36) and Sheree Tomlinson (30) on this season’s junior drivers premiership.

He saved the Tintin In America gelding for one knock-out blow from the outside second row draw.

With only three or four behind him beginning the final quarter, His Royal Harness joined in six wide in the straight and ripped into his work, coming clear by 1 and 3/4 lengths from Mordecai.

His Royal Harness, who rated 1:59.7 for the 1980m, was recording his third career win from 24 starts, having previously won twice on grass tracks for the McDowell stable.

He’s from a Mach Three half-sister to Flashbang (1:55, four wins) and Famous Lover (TT, 1:56.1, four wins).

His Royal Harness, bred by Studholme Park’s Brian West, descends from the same family as former top Southland-bred 1970s and 80s pacers, Sassenach (12 wins), Ryal (nine wins), Shavande (five wins), Profiteer (six wins), Zabadak (11 wins) and Stampede (11 wins).

NZ HARNESS NEWS

July 11, 2018

JEWELS RETURNING TO CAMBRIDGE IN 2020

Harness Racing New Zealand announced on Wednesday that the Harness Jewels would return to Cambridge again in 2020.

Last month’s edition was held there and HRNZ Chairman Ken Spicer says the board noticed and appreciated the effort the Cambridge staff went to to make it an enjoyable day.

“I think the board were conscious that the Ashburton decision had woken Cambridge up and they really upped their ante this year.

“For all intents and purposes, we were really happy with the effort they put in.

“All in all, it was a reasonably good day out.”

It was earlier than usual for the decision to be made, but Spicer said the Cambridge Board wanted some clarity so they could do the necessary planning.

“They put a request in and said they wanted some clarity sooner rather than later so they could start budgeting and planning.

“At the end of the day, the only other alternative was Auckland and we don’t think Saturday is a goer there, plus that club has their hands full planning for the Inter Dominions six months earlier.”

Promising mare sold to US interests

Impressive last start Addington winner Its Official Babe has been sold to American interests.

The daughter of Art Official, co-bred, raced and trained to this point by Timaru’s Colin Harrison, flashed home from last to win at Addington on June 29.

Harrison confirmed that she has already left his stable for a spelling facility and she was expected to fly to New York at short notice.

In other American sale news, hardy Canterbury pacer Gunpowder has also been sold Stateside.

Co-owner Mitchell Robertson confirmed a deal had been completed on the 110-start pacer.

• NZ Harness News