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DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS FOR GROUP THREE SOUTH FEATURE

Delightful Memphis, impressive debut winner of the Group Three Leonard Memorial at Addington last Sunday, will chase back-to-back Group Three victories on Saturday week.

Delightful Memphis, a first-up winner of the Cheviot Club’s ‘Sweet Lou’ Leonard Memorial Stakes.

Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones is sending her south for the $25,000 Caduceus Club Of Southland/Nevele R Stakes (mobile 2200m) at the Northern Southland feature meeting at Invercargill on March 12.

The Bettor’s Delight-Memphis Melody filly turned around the harness racing fortunes around of cricket celebrity Simon Doull with her debut win at the Cheviot meeting.

Mr Doull, a former NZ Black Cap and these days a Sky TV cricket commentator, has had some success racing gallopers and is renewing an earlier passion for harness racing.

His previous harness racing ownership was a share in the well-bred Masterful, a gelded son of Bettor’s Delight and former top pacing mare Victor Supreme, three years ago.

Masterful’s best effort in three northern starts as a mid-season 4YO when co-raced by Mr Doull was a fifth.

The horse was then leased out to Peter Ferguson and picked up two Manawatu wins before being exported to Australia.

Mr Doull’s first had a drive of pacers when helping out Pukekohe trainer Peter Brown around 25 years ago.

ROCKER BAND BEATS HUGHIE GREEN IN WORKOUT

Classy Overport Lodge mare Rocker Band will be looking to end an unplaced run of four previous Auckland starts in the $20,000 Charles Roberts NISBA Stakes Mare Pace on Friday nihgt.

Rocker Band dispelled any thoughts she isn’t as comfortable right-handed at Alexandra Park with a smart workout win at Auckland last Saturday, February 27.

Rocker Band, and Samantha Ottley, looking for success at Auckland this Friday. Photo: Bruce Stewart, Southland Harness Racing.co.nz

“Mango (Brent Mangos) was rapt the way she trialled,” said trainer Mark Jones.

Rocker Band over-raced when beaten into third in the Group Two Premier Mares Championship at Addington on February 12 but was relaxed three and four back on the markers in last Saturday’s C3 and faster heat.

She sprinted up on the home turn to head top northerner Hughie Green early in the run home.

The Rocknroll Hanover-Mainland Banner mare lengthened out to beat Hughie Green by a length in a useful 2:43.5 (mobile 2200m), a mile rate of 1:59.5.

The leaders had the speed on over their last 800m in 56.6s and final 400m in 26.5s.

Samantha Ottley, Rocker Band’s driver this term, travels north to continue her successful assocation on Friday night, and will also rein stablemate Real Torque in the Pascoes The Jewellers Northern Oaks.

Rocker Band is also scheduled to take in the Listed $40,000 Magness Benrow Northern Mares Classic (mobile 2200m) at Auckland on March 11.

“All going well, she’ll then fly back for the Southern Belle Final the following week (Winton mobile 1609m, March 19, then the NZ Breeders Stakes at Addington two weeks after that,” Mark said.

After the Group One $100,000 Breeders Stakes at Addington (mobile 2600m) on April 1, Rocker Band will be freshened and aimed at the $150,000 Harness Jewels 4YO Diamond at Cambridge on June 4.

Her Jewels prospects have been enhanced with the top two seeds, The Orange Agent (injured and requiring three months out) and Fight For Glory (retired after finishing unplaced in last Sunday’s Ladyship Stakes at Menangle), to come out of the Jewels.

However, countering those pending withdrawals is acceptance of an Australian inviation to former NZ 4YO mare, Arms Of An Angel.

Arms Of An Angel, who has taken a 1:50.3 winning mile mark, furthered her sensational mile record at Menangle for trainer Shane Tritton with her third to Have Faith In Me and Lennytheshark in last Sunday’s 1:47.5 $A750,000 SEW Eurodrive Miracle Mile.

DELIGHTFUL MEMPHIS DELIVERS FOR GROUP OF OWNERS

Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones has kicked a goal for a group of owners, some of whom only entered the ownership of Delightful Memphis five days before her debut Group 3 win in the $25,000 ‘Sweet Lou’ Leonard Memorial Stakes at Addington on Sunday, February 28, 2016.

Spokesman Pete Smith, who shares in the ownership with wife Debra, was thankful for the opportunity to race Delighful Memphis with Wayne Higgs, cricket commentator and former Black Caps NZ cricket representative Simon Doull, and other shareholders, Sir Loins Ltd, Kaysan Farming Ltd, and BM & JH Holdings Ltd.

Delightful Memphis puts in a winning run wide on debut for Blair Orange in the $25,000 ‘Sweet Lou’ Leonard Memorial Stakes at Addington.

Mr and Mrs Smith previously had the promising but ill-fated Smoke N Santanna (two wins from six starts) in the Jones stable.

Mark has also trained other minor winners from the Smiths’ good racemare Smoke N Mirrors, in Smoke N Grin and Smoke N Fire.

The Overport Lodge trainer was in Sydney for the APG Sale at the weekend searching for more talent.

He had high hopes Delightful Memphis would go close on debut.

“She’s a lovely filly,” he said.

Delightful Memphis, a daughter of champion sire Bettor’s Delight from the same maternal family as former six-time Derby winner Courage Under Fire (1:54.2, 51 wins & $1.5 million), drew attention with a smart 1:58.6 mile to qualify at Ashburton on February 10.

The winning connections of Delightful Memphis at Addington on Sunday.

She backed it up with sharp Rangiora trial win on February 17 in a 2:00.9 rate (2000m).

Twelve months ago, Wayne Higgs offered Delightful Memphis at the NZ Premier Yearling Sales, with Mark Jones liking her enough to buy her for his stable for $46,000.

Wayne Higgs retained a share but Mark Jones has on-sold his share to the fellow group of owners, including cricket celebrity, Simon Doull, a co-owner of $235,000 thoroughbred winner, Deane Martin.

Delightful Memphis lived up to her glowing reputation, dealing to a tidy field of juvenile fillies.

Settling fifth in the eight-horse field for driver Blair Orange, Delightful Memphis angled into a one-one sit beginning the final lap, then dashed up to be parked at the 700m.

They took cover as Kotare Yarra loomed up in the open at the 600m, then had a good finishing kick inside the final 150m, winning going away by 1 1/2 lengths in 2:28.1 (2000m), a mile rate of 1:59.1.

The leaders had the speed on over their last 800m in 56s and final 400m in 28.6s.

Delightful Memphis (Bettor’s Delight-Memphis Melody) has plenty going for her on breeding.

Driver Blair Orange salutes the judge when returning to scale with Group 3 winner Delightful Memphis at Addington on Sunday.

She’s a half-sister to four other winners including Harley Earl (1:55.3, 10 wins), Virginia Lightning (1:57.1, 12 wins & $A69,185), Forest Bobo (2:00, four wins) and Miss Peabody (one).

Her grand-dam OK Deb (p3, 1:58.1), is a speedy nine-win half-sister to Adios Dream (p2, 1:58.4), another former smart filly, who at two won the 1999 NZ Welcome Stakes, the Te Awamutu & Morrinsville Juvenile Stakes.

At three, Adios Dream also won a NSW Golden Easter Egg Stakes at Fairfield and was runnerup in a NSW Princess Mile at Harold Park.

Adios Dream has bred on, leaving Ransom Olds (p3, 1:54.9), who won twice when trained by Mark Jones and went on to win another 12 races and close to $100,000 in Australia; $150,000-plus USA winner, Smokey Lonesome (1:52.2, US); and Cullens Creation (dam of Millie Sampson (1:56.1, eight wins & $85,052), Quite A Delight (1:54, nine wins from 15 WA starts for $A96,529) and Kompressor (1:57.8, two wins).

Advance Debra, another half-sister to Ok Deb and Adios Dream, won the inaugural 1990 NZ Sires Stakes 2YO Fillies Championship and became the dam of champion 2 & 3YO, Courage Under Fire, who was unbeaten in his first 24 starts.

Another from Advance Debra in Erin Brockovich is the grand-dam of Cyclone Prince, 1:57.1, four wins & $131,057, including the 2013 Group 1 Young Guns Cardigan Bay 2YO Stakes at Auckland; and Cyclone Kate (12 wins), who won Sunday’s $A50,000 Menangle free-for-all on Miracle Mile day in 1:52.1 (1609m).

Delightful Memphis’s third dam Deborah Dundee (three wins) was the 1999 NZ Broodmare Excellence Award winner.

DREAM SUCCESS FOR RASMUSSEN IN NSW OAKS

Star reinswoman Natalie Rasmussen nominated (Our) Dream About Me as her ‘dream’ drive on a big Miracle Mile day program at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Sunday, February 28, 2016.

And so it proved as the daughter of Bettors Delight toyed with her rivals for a devastating 9.6m win over Dodolicious and Art Mistress in the $A200,000 Form 700 NSW Oaks, the first of many Group Ones on the day.

(Our) Dream About Me and Natalie Rasmussen winning the $A200,000 New South Wales Oaks in a brilliant 1:54.2 rate (2400m).

Rasmussen suggested the only thing that could beat the Mark Purdon-trained (Our) Dream About Me was bad luck in the fillies’ feature.

Still the former Queenslander, who now resides in New Zealand, made certain that was not an issue.

Eased out of the gate after drawing the inside of the second row, Rasmussen was quick to get the unbeaten filly away from the markers and out into the running line.

While Rocknroll Magic (Gavin Lang) set a steady speed from the front with an opening half of 58.6s, Natalie was content to bide her time and eased three wide with less than a lap to travel and slowly made her way towards the head of the field.

By the time they reached the home turn she had the leader well within her sights and when she said go (Our) Dream About Me simply accelerated away from her rivals, who had no answer to her class.

With a last half run in a scintillating 55 seconds with splits of 27.2s and 27.8s, (Our) Dream About Me gave nothing else a chance in a world record-equalling win with a mile rate of
1:54.2.

Rasmussen later commented: “We don’t go out there to run time, we’re just happy enough to win the race.

“We knew how tough our filly was and we were happy to be in the  breeze.

“I let her down at around the 600m mark and she felt great when

I shook her up a bit, she just has unbelievable speed.

“She’s as good as our boys, that’s for sure. She’s a super filly.”

(OUR) WAIKIKI BEACH UNBEATEN AFTER 16 STARTS

Horses just don’t win 16 races in a row.

Yet (Our) Waikiki Beach is definitely something special and he reached that mark in style with another remarkable win in the $A200,000 Coca-Cola Amatil NSW Derby at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Sunday, February 28.

The three-year-old gelding gave the Mark Purdon stable their third Group One for the day . . . with the Miracle Mile still to come.

(Our) Waikiki Beach remains unbeaten after 16 starts with his win in the $A200,000 NSW Derby on February 28.

Driver Natalie Rasmussen explained (Our) Waikiki Beach only ever did what he had to do to win.

And that was the case again today as the son of Somebeachsomewhere held off Cant Refuse (James Rattray) to score by 2.1m with Zee Dana (Nathan Jack) third in a 1:55.5 mile rate.

It was a relieved Rasmussen who received the Derby trophy, explaining (Our) Waikiki Beach had been getting a little bit too fired up at his most recent start which had been a slight concern.

“We’ve tried to keep him calm before his race since then,” she said.

“But he’s a good boy. He just what he has to do.”

And no-one does it better in the three-year-old ranks than (Our) Waikiki Beach who may yet rival some of the great horses with his unbeaten run.

Part-owner Trevor Casey said he never expected to have a ‘second’ horse to win that many in a sequence.

“I had something to do with Courage Under Fire, who won 25, but this bloke is now starting to stack up the wins as well,” said Casey.

Rasmussen said she always felt Zee Dana (third) would be her biggest danger because he was so impressive in his record heat win.

“Amanda Turnbull [trainer] has him flying at the moment,” she said.

“But we were confident with our guy.

“Mark and I don’t really go out to try and set records like that – we’re just happy if our horses are fit and healthy and going well.

“Of course you have to aim for the big Derbys.

“And I’d have to be happy with a day like this. They don’t come along every day.”

SMOLDA SHOWS HE’S UP WITH BEST

Little fish might be sweet but many harness racing fans at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Sunday, February 28, were left thirsting for more.

More Smolda that is, after the magnificent son of Courage Under Fire obliterated Global View’s world record of 1:53.4 set in March 2015 in accounting for his rivals in the $A100,000 Group One Bohemia Crystal Free-For-All.

Smolda (Mark Purdon) rated 1:52.7 for the 2400m journey, pacing the full 2400m in 2:48, to leave many racegoers wishing he was lining up in the Miracle Mile later that afternoon.

After drawing the inside of the second row, Smolda eased in the market just before the jump and looked in danger of being stuck in a pocket behind Major Crocker going up the back the last time.

Still when (Our) Sky Major, trained by Mark’s brother Barry and driven by leading reinsman Blake Fitzpatrick, began to drop off before the home turn after a tough run, Smolda and Mark Purdon found a path away from three-back on the pegs and surged into calculations as they headed for the home turn.

Smolda paces a staggering 2:48 (2400m) to win the $A100,000 Bohemia Crystal Free-For-All at Menangle on February 28.

Purdon had no hesitation urging Smolda into the death seat and turning for home Smolda finished full of running to account for the surprise packet of the race Iam Mr Brightside (Robert Morris) with Major Crocker (James Rattray) showing something like his best form to hold third after leading.

Smolda’s splits for the final mile were 29.5s, 28s, 27.6s and 28s for a 2.7m win and a deserved place in history . . . unfortunately not as a Miracle Mile winner but nonetheless still one of the best horses in Australasia.

Purdon couldn’t hide his admiration for the seven-year-old gelding: “It’s a time-honoured race and there’s a lot of great horses here.

“He’s a great horse and I knew we were rolling all the way. He felt great in the race and I was worried about our position but the chance came to get off and I had to take it.

“This horse means a lot to us. We bought him from Australia and he’s always had a special place in our hearts.

“He’s had his problems along the way but he’s come back every time. We just love him.”

Courtesy of . . .

HAVE FAITH IN ME RUNS RECORD 1:47.5 IN MIRACLE MILE

1:47.5 . . . and Have Faith In Me! . . . .Remember that time and don’t forget that name because we’ll be talking about them for generations.

That was the time four-year-old budding Kiwi superstar Have Faith In Me recorded in winning the $A750,000 SEW Eurodrive Miracle Mile at Tabcorp Park, Menangle, on Sunday, February 28.

Have Faith In Me wins the Miracle Mile as a 4YO in 1:47.5, wearing down Lennytheshark (yellow colours) on Sunday, February 28.

It was a track record too, breaking Adore Me’s Australasian record 1:47.7 set in 2015.

The only time harness racing fans were left guessing was at the finish when Have Faith In Me put in a dive at Inter Dominion and Victoria Cup winner Lennytheshark, before the judge ruled he had grabbed victory right on the line.

It was the perfect race from the next superstar of the sport . . . although it looked anything but a certainty 100m from home.
Lennytheshark came from one-out and one-back to surge to the front halfway up the straight and it appeared as if Have Faith In Me just had too much work to do to catch him.

But this amazing son of Bettors Delight didn’t know defeat and ploughed into the lead before grabbing victory in the last stride.

Third place went to the amazing mare Arms Of An Angel, who set the race up for the amazing time by leading from the pole and running them along in fine style.

Turning for home the mare and Lauren Panella were still giving plenty of cheek after quarters of 26.4s, 27.4s and 26.5s.

The winner hit the line with a final split of 27.2 for the incredible track record time and an even-more-special fourth Group One for the Mark Purdon-Natalie Rasmussen team.

“Wow, what a day,” was Rasmussen’s comment.

The champion reinsman, known by many as Miss Inter Dominion, thanks to her four Inter Dominion victories with Blacks A Fake, became known as “Miss Miracle Mile” thanks to a handsome little bay gelding named Have Faith In Me.

“It was so special with this horse as he has so much learning and growing up to do.

“This win is right up there. Just the way he did it – he’s such a little tiny green little fellow.

“I’m overwhelmed and I’m just so proud of this little horse horse.”

Courtesy of . . .

TWO SYDNEY APG YEARLINGS SECURED FOR OVERPORT LODGE

Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones extended his yearling stocks by venturing into the Australian Pacing Gold market at Randwick, Sydney, on Saturday, February 27, 2016.

He secured two lots with strong NZ connections.

The Rock N Roll Heaven-Joyfuljoy filly, secured by Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones at the Sydney APG Sales.

They were a filly by Rock N Roll Heaven and the first foal from former classic-winning NZ filly 1:51.6 USA winner Joyfuljoy, for $65,000, and a Somebeachsomewhere colt from Trinny Bromac (Falcon Seelser-Tanisa Vance) for $47,000.

Prepared by Matt Day, the Rock N Roll Heaven filly is eligible for the NSW Challenge, plus the Australasian Breeders Crown and Bathurst Gold Crown.

Mark raced Crystal Sar and Alexis to finish third and sixth respectively when Joyfuljoy won the 2009 Harness Jewels 3YO Diamond at Ashburton in a then NZ 3YO fillies mile record of 1:54.4.

Joyfuljoy (Mach Three-Joyfulbelle), then raced by Ian Dobson from the Allstars stable and driven by Blair Orange, scored 11 NZ wins and also numbered the 2009 NZ Sires Stakes 3YO Fillies Final among her top NZ wins.

Also the runnerup to Lauraella in the 2009 Great Northern Oaks, Joyfuljoy furthered the second half of her career in North America with six additional US wins, taking her earnings to $480,442.

“Joyfuljoy was a brilliant age group filly. The whole family is full of smart fillies so I am glad to get her for what I did,” Mark said.

He was also attracted to her being a “lovely” big filly by Rock N Roll Heaven, whose fillies have been very successful world- wide.

Joyfuljoy is a sister to Pride N Joy, who qualified in 1:59.5 (1609m) as a two-year-old, but went straight to stud unraced.

She’s also a half-sister to 2011 Southland Oaks winner Jumpforjoy (p2, 1:56.5; p3, 1:55.8, seven wins and seven placings from just 21 starts for Clark Barron, earning $94,655) and minor 3YO winner, Fullojoy, who only raced at three, for one win and three placings in eight starts.

Grand-dam Joyfulbelle (1:56.3) was also a smart filly winning eight and being placed 10 times from only 22 starts for $58,798, for Southland trainer Clark Barron.

Joyfuljoy, shown defeating Rakarebel in premier 4-5 win pace at Auckland on December 31, 2009, in 2:41.1 (2200m).

Joyfulbelle ran fourth in the 2003 NZ Oaks (won by Pullover Brown in a NZ record time at the time), and was also a second to Coburg in the Group Two 2004 Premier Mares Championship at Addington.

Bettor Joy, a yearling Bettor’s Delight filly from Joyfulbelle, sold for $80,000 at the NZ Premier Yearling Sales last week.

Joyfulbelle’s half-sister Hit The Switch, a minor NZ winner, has won 20 in the USA and taken a record of 1:54.6, while others to shine in recent seasons from the family include good Australian winner (Heza) Panamach (p3, 1:58.2, 16 wins & $A109,057) and
smart Southland pacer Statham (six wins and four seconds from 13 starts for $46,486).

Mark’s Somebeachsomewhere colt buy is from a Falcon Seelster sister to the former good Peter Bagrie-trained pacer Ross The Boss (1:50, US), winner of 10 in NZ and a further 24 in the US, with earnings now over $400,000; and also to minor NZ winner Habeebee (1:53.6, USA), now the winner of over $60,000.

Grand-dam Tanisa Vance is also the dam of Tallyho Bromac (1:54.9, 19 wins & $A97,094), Kotare Jaegar (p2, 1:56.9, 10 wins & $A72,343); Extra BG, the dam of former NZ 3YO mile record holder Kotare Mach (p3, 1:53, 16 wins & $A268,138); and Tanisa Bromac (TT, 1:58.1), the dam of good WA winner (Black) Mr Mach (1:56.5, nine wins & $A82,239), Tijuana Bromac (10 wins & $69,433), Twitter Bromac (one wins) and promising 3YO pacer, Torrid Bromac (1:56.7 mile rate, 2000m, three wins from nine starts).

He’s also from the family of Kotare Yoland (1:54.7), 19 wins & $A190,310), winner of this season’s Group 3 Cobram Pacing Cup; Play More (1:52.2 US), Grinaldi (1:57.3, 10 wins), The Oyster Man (1:54.4, US), Mystic Master (1:59, five wins), (Our) Major Vance (2:00.4, 12 wins) and Tullow (1:53.4, 11 wins & $A81,198, winner of this season’s Listed Canberra Cup).