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HECTORJAYJAY UPSETS STABLEMATE LENNYTHESHARK IN MILE

Master trainer David Aiken pulled off the ultimate big-race success when he trained the quinella in Sunday’s $A100,000 TABCORP.COM.AU Len Smith Mile at Tabcorp Park Menangle (June 26, 2016).

The only problem was it wasn’t quite the way punters expected it to go.

Aiken’s up and comer Hectorjayjay ($10.10), finished like a train to swamp odds-on favourite Lennytheshark ($1.40 favourite) by 1.2m, with Ohoka Punter ($7) a fighting third 7.1m further way.

Hectorjayjay (5g Dream Away) and Gavin Lang outfinish favoured stablemate Lennytheshark in the $A100,000 Len Smith Mile at Menangle. (Photo courtesy of NSWHRC).

The winner rated a slashing 1:50.5, confirming the huge wraps that Aiken had placed on the five-year-old gelding, who is now bound for Queensland and further feature starts.

Victoria’s two leading reinsmen Gavin Lang (Hectorjayjay) and Chris Alford (Lennytheshark) cleared away to fight out the finish although the wicked grin on Lang’s face in the last 100m clearly indicated he knew he had the race in his keeping.

Close behind the placegetters were outsiders Blazin N Cullen and Alta Jerome, just ahead of the mighty mare Frith, who endured a torrid run and couldn’t match the Grand Circuit stars in the straight.

“Gavin really likes this horse,” said Aiken.

“He doesn’t say a lot but I just really got the feeling he’s been impressed with his turn of foot.”

Lang explained that draws were important and 14 was not ideal against a quality field like that.

“As I always say before the race, it’s only a number, we usually have a post mortem after and decide if they’re good bad or otherwise . . .. and it turned out perfectly,” said Lang.

“That’s one thing about drawing 14, you need those type of quick sectionals early to bring you into the race and that’s how it turned out.

“That early burn gives you a chance. Over a mile if they go slowly early then you are left to do your share of work to get into the race and chasing quality horses, well, you just won’t catch them.”

Lang said Hectorjayjay always travelled well and his only concern pre-race was that he had been scratched from his last run because he had a minor problem.

“But a solidly run race (like today’s) can be their downfall and to the stable’s credit they did a great job and had him in excellent condition,” he said.

“He’s a good horse and that’s one of the qualities that good horses have – under pressure they really dig in.”

“I’m sure these two horses will have some epic battles in the future.”

ROCKMEMAMA UPSETS IN NSW 3YOf BREEDERS CHALLENGE

Fans called for a dead-heat but the judge gave Rockmemama the nod by the barest margin in Sunday’s three-year-old fillies final of the Alabar NSW Breeders Challenge.

Just when Eye See Diamonds (Nathan Jack) looked set to win, Rockmemama dived at her and scored a last-stride win, rating 1:52.4 with even-money favourite Heavens Trend a plucky third after racing without cover for most of the journey.

Rockmemama (3f Rock N Roll Heaven) unwinds wide to take out the $A153,000 Alabar NSW Breeders Challenge for 3YO Fillies at Menangle. (Photo courtesy of NSWHRC).

In a day of upsets, it was a popular win for Newcastle reinsman Mark Callaghan as there was a sprinkling of money for the daughter of Rocknroll Heaven as she started at $7.90.

It was the stringbean Callaghan’s first Group One success.
Likewise for trainer Darryl Thomas, who is based at Sawyers Gully.

“Yes that was quite a thrill,” said Callaghan.

“Darryl seems to be able to get this horse to peak at just the right time.

“That’s what he did for Bathurst and she won with authority and this was her fourth run in again today and she’s peaked again and she’s won again.

“I thought we’d either be behind the leader or three back on the fence and I wasn’t too concerned either way . . . as long as we were tracking the good horses – and we were, I knew I’d be right there.

“So it all worked out well.

“They ran a quick last half so she did a good job to get over the top of them.”

Callaghan has three young boys who help out around the stables.

All three were on hand to cheer and there were even a few tears on the pedestal as they savoured their father’s biggest win.

Courtesy of Amanda Zammitt,
Social Media & Trotguide Co-ordinator, NSWHRC.

GLENFERRIE HOOD UPSETS IN GROUP THREE AT ALBION PARK

Glenferrie Hood, sold out of the Overport Lodge stable of Mark Jones after qualifying at Ashburton as a 2YO in March 2012, scored an upset win in the $A30,000 Wondai’s Mate Pace at Albion Park, Brisbane, on Saturday, June 25.

Now six, the Christian Cullen gelding was racking up his 21st win in Australia, taking his earnings over $A200,000.

Glenferrie Hood, shown as a 2YO at the Ashburton trials in the hands of Regan Todd. On Saturday, he won the Group Three Wondai’s Mate at Albion Park in a 1:52.4 mile rate (1660m).

He had raced earlier in West Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, before transferring to the Queensland stables of Vicky Rasmussen last month.

Having his his fourth start in Queensland, he was scoring just his second win in 17 starts for the season, having last won the Terang Cup in February, rating 1:56.3 for the mobile 2680m.

Glenferrie Hood stormed home late for driver Peter McMullen to win the Wondai’s Mate by half a neck in a 1:52.4 rate  (1660m) to shade front-running Ideal Scott, with favourite Christen Me a head back third.

Christen Me, after settling four back on the outer, swept up wide on the home turn but peaked on his run over the final 50m.

Glenferrie Hood, who tracked Christen Me turning for home, returned odds of $33-to-one.

His winning mile rate was outside his personal best, a 1:52.1 winning mile at Menangle last year.

Glenferrie Hood, bred by Ian Dobson, is from Niftey Franco (Badlands Hanover-Never Before Franco, by Holmes Hanover from the former good NZ filly Nevermore (p3, 1:56.1), the latter setting three NZ records (since bettered) among her seven wins from only 19 starts.

GLENFERRIE CLASSIC DELIVERS AT SIXTH START

Glenferrie Classic, aided by spreaders in front for a touch more width on the first day of the Marlborough winter meeting at Waterlea, Blenheim, on Friday, June 24, 2016, confirmed the potential she’d shown for trainer Mark Jones.

She delivered with a maiden victory at her sixth start in The Hits & Wairau Covers Maiden Mobile Pace.

Royally-bred Glenferrie Classic (Sam Ottley) scores her maiden victory at Waterlea on Friday. (Race Images photo).

The royally-bred daughter of champion sire Bettor’s Delight and 2005 New Zealand Cup winning mare Mainland Banner (1:55.1, 17 wins from 22 starts & $684,579) had shown she would win races but had made a couple of mistakes in her early racing.

Her confidence continued to shine after a solid second on the second day at Nelson the previous weekend to get the job done at Marlborough.

From the inside draw, driver Sam Ottley let one head her early but was quickly off the trail to take control again with 1800m to run.

She looked to have the race in safe keeping until outsider Stonebridge Cullen made an inside bid but once reminded of her obligations, Glenferrie Classic lifted to come clear again at the finish by a comfortable length.

She rated 2:02.9 for the mobile 2300m, the last 800m in 59.1s.

The half-sister to Harness Jewels 4YO Mares Diamond winner Rocker Band (1:53.3), Peruvian Banner (1:52.4, US), Stunin Banner (1:56.2 mile rate, 2300m), and Return To Sender (1:57.4 mile rate, 2400m), was bred by Peter Chambers of Glenferrie Farm Limited.

However, she became available at two to be sold to other clients of the Mark Jones stable, being secured by Equine Investments Ltd of Christchurch, Matai Farms Ltd of Wyndham, Gavin and Sherryn Saunders (who raced 1989 NZ Cup winner Inky Lord) and Brendan Duffy, of Seaward Downs (near Edendale) in Southland.

Kowhai Monarch and Sam Ottley are too good with an inside run to win the Tyre General Handicap Trot at Waterlea on Friday. (Race Images photo).

Glenferrie Classic steps up to the C1 grade on Sunday, again over 2300m, but is drawn to get her chance from the two gate.

Meanwhile trot stablemate Kowhai Monarch continued his good form with his second win three starts on the Nelson-Marlborough winter circuit.

The Monarchy gelding again stepped well from the 20m line to be fourth on settling improving to three back on the markers into the back the one and only time in the C1 & faster Tyre General Handicap Trot.

Driver Sam Ottley didn’t have to leave the markers in the run home, getting a charmed run through to slip through inside leader Redwood Invasion to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths.

Kowhai Monarch, a half-brother to other useful trot winners in The Drunken Drummer (four NZ wins), McCready (two NZ wins), Kowhai Whiz (eight) and Kowhai Sunrise (three), was notching his fourth win from 23 starts for owners, John and Jill Hartnell.

He goes back another 10m for the second day on Sunday but the step up in distance to 2700m gives him a chance to repeat despite a 30m handicap.

The Overport Lodge team brought up 50 seasonal wins  for the sixth time when the consistent Really Desirable (3f Real Desire-Tammy Franco) scored in a C1 pace at Forbury Park on Thursday night with .

She was given the run of the race in the trail by Blair Orange and proved a touch too good for front-running Van Eva in the run home, winning by half a length in a 2:02 rate (2200m) for her second win in 14 starts.

By Jeff Scott

SPLIT PASTERN DERAILS SAVEATROL CUP CAMPAIGN

Top lightly-raced pacer Saveapatrol has been ruled out of New Zealand Cup contention for the second year running.

Burnham trainer Mark Jones said the horse was making great progress in training on the comeback trail, then split a hind pastern last Saturday.

Saveapatrol, shown winning last year’s Thames Cup in the hands of Blair Orange. (Trish Dunell photo).

“His tendon had scanned up fine but the bad luck has continued,” Mark said.

“He’ll get the pastern screwed on Tuesday, so his cup campaign is over and he’ll be out for at least three months,” he said.

Its another untimely setback for Saveapatrol, his trainer, and owner Grant Hatton.

At only his 13th start, he held out eventual triple New Zealand Cup winner Terror To Love, and another subsequent New Zealand Cup winner Arden Rooney, in the Invercargill Cup.

Saveapatrol then ran third to superstars, Terror To Love and Adore Me in the 2014 Auckland Cup at his 16th start.

Mark then sent him for precautionary surgery to a tendon and gave him a year off.

He had him back winning second-up at Auckland in the Thames Cup last July.

Freshened, he won a trial impressively at Rangiora last September but was sidelined a few days later with a new high tendon tear.

The rising 7YO Christian Cullen-Rondel Franco gelding has raced just 18 times for 11 wins, a second and a third, for $145,618 in stakes.

Meanwhile, Franco Exeter, Stuover and Danke, have all moved on from the stable this month.

Franco Exeter (5g Lis Mara-Elisit Franco), who will do his future racing in Perth, proved a consistent performer for owner Wayne Higgs, winning four and running three seconds in eight NZ starts.

Stuover (3g Changeover-Girlsjustwanahavefun), also raced by Wayne Higgs, is to join the Dean Braun stable.

He raced just three times last year for a first-up win at Rangiora, a third and an eighth.

Danke (8g Sundon-Thanx) was claimed out of the stable by the Geoff Martin stable for $4000 after racing at Cambridge on June 12.

He picked up three wins and five placings when based at Overport Lodge for Mark McNamara’s Danke For Coming Syndicate.

By Jeff Scott

WINNING TREBLE AT NELSON MOVES SAM TO 30 FOR SEASON

A winning treble for Overport Lodge driver Samantha Ottley on the first day at Nelson on Friday, June 10, brought up 30 wins for the season.

The Harness Jewels 4YO Diamond-winning reinsman has continued her top Cambridge Jewels victory form behind Rocker Band from last Saturday.

Samantha Ottley, up to 30 wins for the season and 193 for her career.

Following on with a win behind fellow Overport runner Smoke N Fire at Ashburton on Monday, she notched a winning double with other Mark Jones-trained stablemates, Croft Bay and Kowhai Monarch, at Nelson.

For good measure, Sam also reined 43-to-one outsider Feel Real to victory for Kaiapoi trainer Glen Scott, finishing best with an inside run in a maiden pace.

She drove the Jones-trained Kowhai Monarch confidently in the C1 and faster Town & Country Vet Handicap Trot.

Sam improved the second favourite from the fourth line to pressure front-running favourite He’s Like The Wind from the 500m, with the latter, after being headed, breaking over the final 100m.

Kowhai Monarch, who appreciated an easier race after racing soundly in stronger Addington races, last month, won going away to notch his third win from 21 starts for owners John and Jill Hartnell.

Croft Bay notched back-to-back wins for the stable, taking out the C1 Reefton Trotting Club Pace.

Back early off after starting off the unruly, Sam sent him forward inside the last 1200m to range up three wide outside leaders Ildivo and Drovers Eyre over the last 800m.

Parked turning for home, the improving Lis Mara gelding toughed it out well to hold Ardent Lustre by a neck.

He will try and extend his record of three wins from nine starts for owner Simon Gilmore on the second day.

A solid brace of wins over the last week for the Mark Jones stable has moved Mark to 49 training wins for the season.

ROCKER BAND TO TARGET QUEEN OF HEARTS IN DECEMBER

Harness Jewels 4YO Diamond winner Rocker Band will be given the chance to extend her race career next season.

Gold Coast owner Greg Brodie is keen for the impeccably-bred daughter of Rocknroll Hanover and 2005 New Zealand Cup winner Mainland Banner (1:55.1, 17 wins from 22 starts for $684,579) to contest further feature mares races.

Rocker Band, shown after winning the $20,000 Southern Belle Speed Series Final at Winton in March. Photo: Bruce Stewart, Southland Harness Racing.co.nz

“With a change in handicapping it may save her,” said Burnham trainer Mark Jones.

“She’s spelling now. We’ll we’ll see if we are ready for NZ Cup week racing but will target the Queen Of Hearts (Group One mares) at Auckland in December.”

“She could go to Sydney after Auckland in December, depending on how she’s going.”

Rocker Band, who bounced back from a broken nose in a freak accident as a youngster, racked up her ninth win from only 24 starts with her storming finish to win the $150,000 NRM Evolve Jewels Diamond in 1:53.3 at Cambridge on June 4.

She lifted her earnings to $164,685 for Mr Brodie.

Rocker Band also has a Group Two third to her credit in the NZ Premier Mares Championship at Addington in February.

Mainland Banner’s first four foals have all been good winners.

Her first, Peruvian Banner (a filly by Peruvian Hanover) won one from five NZ starts and has taken a 1:52.4 mile mark in North America with nine USA wins, taking her earnings to $95,898.

Return To Sender, Rocker Band’s older half-brother, who has been exported to North America after winning eight for the Robert Dunn stable.

Second foal Stunin Banner (a gelding by McArdle) has won in 1:56.2 rate (2300m) at Menangle (Aust) and although now racing below his best in amateur drivers races back in NZ has won 13 of 64 starts for $107,654.

Then came Return To Sender (Mach Three gelding), who won in a sharp 1:57.4 (2400m) as a 3YO and won eight of 52 NZ starts for $102,148.

Rocker Band is her fourth foal.

Trainer Mark Jones is hopeful Mainland Banner’s fifth foal, Glenferrie Classic, a 3YO filly by top sire Bettor’s Delight, will be the next winner.

She’s unplaced at her first three starts but ran an encouraging fourth to Well Armed at her last start at Addington on April 13.

Freshened, she won a workout at Rangiora at June 1 in 3:27.9 for the 2600m (stand), the leaders running their last 800m in 58.5s.

She  composed herself and rallied to hold by a head after becoming uncomfortable in her gait with 150m to run.

Glenferrie Classic gets a chance to add to the family record at the two-day Nelson meeting this weekend.

Mainland Banner, purchased by Australian Peter Chambers under his Glenferrie Farm Ltd ownership in 2011, was exported to Australia after foaling Glenferrie Classic.

She has one live foal in Australia, a filly by Rock N Roll Heaven, which was passed in for $45,000 at the this year’s APG Yearling Sales in Sydney in February.

The family has been further enhanced with the strong form of Titan Banner, a game third from the outside gate in last week’s $150,000 Harness Jewels 4YO Emerald, being race-timed in 1:53.4.

Titan Banner, a half-brother by Art Major to Mainland Banner, defeated Christen Me in his Jewels lead-up in the Winter Cup at Addington late last month and has won 10 of 27 starts for $99,713.

By Jeff Scott