Latest News

MASTER LAVROS RETURNS WITH ADDINGTON TRIAL

Top trotter Master Lavros returned to the Addington trials on Monday, March 27, looking bold again after a brief freshen up.

Master Lavros lengthens stride in the run home at the Addington trials on Monday.

The giant-sized Sundon gelding stepped safely off the 20m line for Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones, trailing the four horse field until Mark sent him to the top with 1500m to run.

From there, he was enjoying his work in the easy conditions and drizzly rain.

He held Royal Shine by two and three quarter lengths, with Kowhai Whiz and early leader Over The Love, chasing home the first two at the end of the 2600m in 3:28.9.

Master Lavros quickened over his last 800m in 59.3s and his final 400m in 29.3s as he builds towards the $80,000 Fred Shaw Memorial NZ Trotting Championship (mobile 2600m) at Addington on Friday week.

Meanwhile top pacer Saveapatrol continued his comeback preparation, coming off the 30m line for a 2 1/2 lengths second to fellow backmarker Franco Nelson in the R48 and faster handicap trial.

Franco Nelson, back with the Robert Dunn stable after last racing in the Fremantle Cup at Gloucester Park, Perth, on January 6, notched his second trial win in as many appearances since resuming.

He paced the 2600m in 3:24.9, the leaders running their last 800m in 59.3s and closing 400m in 27s.

Glenferrie Classic (middle) winds up wide in the run home at the Addington trials on Monday.

Glenferrie Classic also resumed after a brief freshener at Monday’s trials.

After settling four back on the markers, she finished on wide for fifth in the heat won by top All Stars pacer Waikiki Beach, who held Gotta Go Ya Hu (three back) by a neck with top mare Piccadilly Princess (trail), third.

Waikiki Beach led up from the nine gate for Natalie Rasmussen, pacing the mobile 1950m in 2:25.5 (2:00 mile rate), pacing his last 800m in 58.8s and his final 400m in 27.8s.

Overport Lodge juvenile pacing filly Ellaquence trailed a four horse line-up in the 2YO fillies pace, won by the All Stars qualifier Make Mine Dimaonds (2f Somebeachsomewhere-Art Shadow) in 2:32.8 (2:02.9 mile rate), the last 800m in 58.2s and 400m in 27.7s.

DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS RUNS 2ND FASTEST NZ FILLY MILE

Class filly Delightful Memphis warmed up for the autumn classics with a brilliant track record 1:51.9 mile win at the Wairio Trotting Club’s meeting at Winton on Saturday, March 25.

The Overport Lodge-trained daughter of Bettor’s Delight and Memphis Melody became NZ’s second fastest 3YO pacing filly.

Delightful Memphis, NZ’s second fastest 3YO filly miler with a 1:51.9 win at Winton on Saturday.

Her time was only the second occasion 1:52 had been bettered by a filly, with The Orange Agent holding the NZ fillies mark at 1:51.1, set in the 2015 Harness Jewels Diamond at Ashburton.

However, Delightful Memphis shattered the Southland fillies mark of 1:53.9, set by the Murray Brown-trained Erin Jaccka at Winton in March 2016, and the Southland allcomers mark of 1:53.3, previously held by Overport Lodge stablemate, Rocker Band, also set at Winton as a 4YO mare in December 2015.

(Rocker Band, incidentially, has joined the Craig Demmler and Jodi Quinlan team in Melbourne, for further mares racing in Victoria).

Delightful Memphis drew the outside barrier in the small seven-horse field for the Southland Standardbred Breeders Association Mobile Pace, but this proved a blessing in disguise.

Driver Blair Orange popped her in the one-one sit as main rivals, Seaswift Joy, worked hard over the opening quarter to lead, with Eamon Maguire left cutting the breeze in the open.

The speed was unrelenting with Gordon Lee in control with front-running Seaswift Joy until the closing 100 metres.

Blair and Delightful Memphis had the last say, slipsteaming home to win by three-quarters of a length from a gallant Seaswift Joy (race-timed in 1:52), with NZ Derby contender Eamon Maguire beaten but far from disgraced finishing a strong third three-quarters of a length back, being race-timed in 1:52.2.

The leaders ran their last 800m in 54.5s and closing 400m in 27.5s.

Delightful Memphis, winner of last year’s Group Three $25,000 Caduceus club Of Southland/Nevele R Stud Mobile Pace for 2YO fillies at Invercargill, was making her first foray in the deep south this term.

She will need another start in Southland to qualify for the $45,000 Southland Oaks at Invercargill on Sunday, April 30.

The Southland Oaks will be a good lead-in for Delightful Memphis for both the New Zealand Oaks and Nevele R Fillies Final at Addington in May.

Delightful Memphis, raced by Wayne Higgs, Simon Doull, Sir Loins Limited, Debra and Pete Smith, Kaysan Farming Limited, and B M and J H Holdings Ltd, took her earnings past $200,000 with Saturday’s win.

The well-performed filly has raced 17 times for five wins, 10 seconds, and a third, for $206,389 in stakes.

AYMAR REWARDED AT MOTUKARARA

The Mark Jones stable advanced to 36 wins for the term when Aymar put a luckless run behind her in recent months with a deserved win in the R47-49 Premier Vets Mobile Pace at Motukarara on Sunday, March 26.

Also starting from the outside of the front row, driver Samantha Ottley used Aymar’s speed to cross the field before reaching the first turn.

Sam, gaining her 43rd driving win for the season, rated Aymar to a nicety over the mobile 2000m dash, relaxing her on the top end to steady the pace, then sprint home three-quarters of a length to the good of Buscemi (three back outer) and the trailing Bontz.

Aymar, raced by Geoff Deakins, held in 2:39.8 for the trip, quickening over her last 800m in 59.3s.

This was the second win in 25 starts for the daughter of Real Desire and Chloe Bromac (by Falcon Seelster an unraced Holmes Hanover half-sister to Awesome Armbro, 1:49.8).

She’s been consistent, picking up 10 minor placings, for $25,718 in earnings.

CASTLEREAGH BECOMES THIRD 2YO WINNER FOR LADY BOO KAY

Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones has a 100 percent winning strike rate with the 2YO progeny of Lady Boo Kay after Castlereagh won impressively at his third race start at Addington on Friday, March 24.

Mark earlier produced half-brother Beau Brummell to win in NZ record time over the mobile 2000m of 2:34.4 at Timaru in 2011 as a juvenile trotter, while half-sister Arannalea won twice at two under similar ownership.

Castlereagh and Samantha Ottley are clear of their rivals near the finish of the Avon City Ford 2YO Trot at Addington. (Race Images photo).

“Castlereagh is a nice trotter in the making and didn’t have a lot of luck in his first two starts,” Mark said.

He could try for further 2YO success in the Fahey Fence Hire NZ 2YO Trotting Stakes at Addington on April 15 and the Lone Star Riccarton Sires Stakes Trotting Championship at Addington on May 19.

Driver Samantha Ottley kept Castlereagh out of the early rush from the two gate in Friday’s Avon City Ford Mobile Trot, settling four back on the markers.

They tracked up Imperial Whiz (parked) at the 500m and switched for an inside run when a gap appeared turning for home.

Castlereagh finished off in style, clearing out by four and a half lengths in 2:26.8 (2:01.1 mile rate) for the mobile 1950m, with Imperial Whiz running second, with favourite Majestic Hurricane, who led, tiring in the run home for third.

Majestic Lavros, the half-brother to Master Lavros on debut in the same trot, settled back on the inner from a wide draw and after an interrupted run, broke in the run home, finishing sixth but 23.9 lengths from his stablemate.

Castlereagh furthered a successful run for owners, Graham Stoddart, “Bub” Phillips, “Beer” McCutheon and Kevin Schmack, who earlier co-raced Beau Brummell and Arannalea.

They bred Castlereagh after acquiring Lady Boo Kay for breeding three years ago.

Beau Brummell, a former 2YO NZ trot record holder when racing for the Mark Jones stable, has furthered his career in Australia, winning 10 races and earning $83,769.

His best win in Australia was a Group Two success in the 2014 $30,000 The West Australian Trotters Cup at Gloucester Park, Perth.

Arannalea, a winner of four from 22 NZ starts, will also get her chance to extend her record in Australia after being sold this month to Victorian interests.

Another half-sister to the Mark Jones-trained winners from Lady Boo Kay in Debaneyre has won twice for the Mike Austin stable.

Lady Boo Kay, by Sundon, is from a good trot mare in Zola’s Pride, who won eight from 67 starts for $60,660 when trained by Dick Prendergast.

She was the runnerup to Tobago in the 1990 Ordeal Trotting Cup at Addington.

STEVEN REID NOT JOINING MENANGLE OVERPORT STABLE

Successful Pukekohe trainer Steven Reid has decided against joining the Overport Lodge stable operation being set up at Menangle.

“Steven unfortunately said no but I respect his decision,” said Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones.

“However, the door is always open for him or the right person to go into partnership with me over there,” Mark said.

Meanwhile, the stable’s former Auckland Cup placegetter Saveapatrol made a return to the Rangiora workouts on Wednesday.

He tailed the field but wasn’t asked for anything serious.

WHITTAKER’S NORTHERN DERBY TILT ABORTED

Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones ruled out a Northern Derby start for promising pacer Whittaker after his lead-up run at Auckland two weeks ago.

“He was not happy the Auckland way so I’ve brought him home and hope to have him right for NZ Derby back here (at Addington),” Mark said.

Whittaker, impressive in both Southland starts in late January-early February, copped the outside front row draw in a $30,000 3YO pace at Auckland on February 24 and ran on late wide out for fourth.

He finished the race off solidly but couldn’t pick up Northview Hustler, Runrunjimmydunn and Wrangler, at the end off the 2200m, cut out in 2:40.8 (1:57.6) mile rate).

This was the first time the Sportswriter-Anarchy colt had finished out of the first three in five starts, having previously won three and been once second.

ARANNALEA TO DO HER FUTURE RACING IN MELBOURNE

Arannalea, a runaway 12 1/4 lengths winner for the Mark Jones stable at Wyndham on Saturday, March 4, was sold this week to Victorian interests.

She has been withdrawn from the Northern Southland Trotting Club’s meeting at Invercargill on Saturday.

Arannalea, showing winning fresh at Timaru in January for trainer, Mark Jones. (Race Images photo).

The 4YO Pegasus Spur-Lady Boo Kay mare again showed her rivals a clean pair of heels when proving superior at Wyndham.

In the hands of Blair Orange, she stepped well after a false start off the 30m line in a C0-1 trot, trailing early leader Pegasus Hanover then zipped clear with 950m to run.

From the 600m Arannalea got further in front, winning as she liked in a useful 3:03.8 (2:03.2 mile rate) for the stand start 2400m.

She maintained her momentum over her last 800m in 59.8s and her closing 400m in 30.2s.

The half-sister to useful winners, Beau Brummell and Debaneyre, was also a clear-cut winner fresh-up at Timaru on January 6, also winning from the front-end by 5 1/2 lengths.

She won four and was five times placed in 22 starts for $26,051 in stakes from the Mark Jones stable.

Meanwhile, tighter-assessed trot stablemate Eyre I Come kept his purple patch of form going with his third win on end when taking out the $10,690 Commodore Hotel Mobile Trot at Addington on Sunday, March 5.

Driver Blair Orange pressed forward from the seven gate with the Majestic Son gelding, leading over the last 1400m of the mobile 1950m free-for-all.

They held Quite A Moment, who came from last at the bell, by three-quarters of a length in a smart 1:57.3 rate, trotting his last 800m in 58.6s.

Eyre I Come, now the winner of nine of 35 starts for $99,514, is poised to edge past the $100,000 mark with another good showing in the Prydes Easi-Feed Southern Lights Handicap Trot at Invercargill on Saturday.