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EYRE I COME ENDS RUN OF PLACINGS WITH AUCKLAND WIN

Eyre I Come ended a frustrating run of minor placings with a premier $20,000 victory in the Crombie Lockwood Mobile Trot at Auckland on New Year’s Eve, 2015.

The 5YO Majestic Son gelding had looked certain to progress to open class after his previous win at Addington on New Zealand Cup day, 2014, also in a $20,000 trot when he defeated Queen Kenny and Clover Mac.

However, the half-brother to Springbank Eden and grandson of former stand-out trot mare Landora’s Pride (34 wins) lost that winning feeling for much of 2015, even though his form wasn’t that bad.

Eyre I Come, made a timely return to winning form at Alexandra Park on New Year’s Eve.

“He was in the right race and good for the owners to get another premier win,” Mark said.

“He will come home now and just carry on racing,” he said.

Hopefully Thursday’s win is the catalyst to ignite Eyre I Come’s career going into 2016.

The New Year’s Eve win brought up his third win from just his 24th starts for owners Meg and Merv Butterworth, and Grant Hatton.

Driver Blair Orange took luck out of play with Eyre I Come in his latest win, taking over from Matatoki a lap from home.

Blair had the third favourite trotting boldly throughout the final lap and held by 1 1/4 lengths from strong finisher Il Pirata and fellow Cantab Everybody Knows in 2:45.7 (mobile 2200m).

The winner quickened over his last 800m in 58.9s and his final 400m in 28.9s.

The victory was also good timing for his yearling half-sister named Secretary Of State (by The Pres) who is being offered at the NZ Premier Yearling Sale in February.

The family continues to throw up winners and topliners.

Grand-dam Landora’s Pride, the 1987 Rowe and 1988 Dominion Handicap-winning mare, is also the grand-dam of other stand-outs in Sundon’s Gift (T, 1:54.3, 41 wins including a Rowe Cup) and Let Me Thru (2:00 mile rate 2240m, 19 wins and the runnerup to I Can Doosit in an Auckland Inter Dominion Trot Final).

Eyre I Come’s victory brought up the 21st win of the season for trainer Mark Jones, who heads south this weekend for the annual Central Otago New Year circuit.

Mark’s Overport Lodge stable moved to outright fourth on the national trainers premiership.

Meanwhile, stablemate Real Torque ran on late along the markers for fifth to Democrat Party in the $20,000 Cullen Breeding Fillies & Mares Mobile Pace.

Northern Velocity, the third Mark Jones-trained starter on Auckland Cup night, struggled like most of the field in the wake of NZ record-setting Golden Goddess in the $138,000 Alabar Sires Stakes 3YO Fillies Championship.

After being caught wide early, she improved parked briefly after the opening 700m, then was shuffled four back ass Golden Goddess moved up parked beginning the final lap.

Northern Velocity tired to run ninth as Golden Goddess held fellow Allstars filly Piccadilly Princess (one-one over the final lap) by half a length in a brilliant 2:36.9 (1:54.7 mile rate) for the mobile 2200m.

By Jeff Scott

FORMER OVERPORT QUALIFIER WINS FIRST-UP IN AUSSIE

Former Overport Lodge 3YO Itz Billy Hillis (3g Bettor’s Delight-Itz Got The Giggles) was a first-up winner at Cobram, Victoria, on Sunday, December 27.

Itz Billy Hillis, sold unraced after qualifying at Rangiora in September for trainer Mark Jones, was a hot $1.40 favourite despite starting from three on the second row over the 1670m.

Itz Billy Hillis, a Rangiora qualfier in September for the Mark Jones stable and a promising first-up winner in Victoria.

However, he was too good after moving up wide over the final lap to win by 7.8 metres in a promising 1:56.7 rate.

The leaders had the speed on over their last 800m in 57.9s with Itz Billy Hillis in command over the final 400m in 29.5s.

Itz Billy Hillis, bred by Bob and Norma McMeeking, is now prepared in Victoria by Wayne Potter and was driven in Monday’s debut by Nathan Jack.

A brother to Itz Dreamin Jonesy (1:55.1, Aust), Itz Billy Hillis is from an unraced Christian Cullen mare in Itz Got The Giggles, a daughter of Itz In The Blood (Butler BG-Itz Magic, TT, 1:55.6, four wins).

Itz Queen Of Newyork, a New York Motoring mare from Itz Regal, a half-sister by Clever Innocence to Itz Magic, left former NSW Oaks, the Tasmanian Oaks and Queensland Oaks winner Itz Nosurprisesthere (1:58, six win from 15 starts for $A216,900), who was also developed by Mark Jones.

Itznotsurprisesthere is a half-sister to Itz Cherry Ripe (1:51.4, US) and half-brother to Itz The Promised One (1:59.3, seven wins & $A39,736).

Itz All About Me, a lightly-raced Courage Under Fire race-winning half-sister to Itz Cherry Ripe and Itznosurprisesthere, has also bred on leaving Auckland Cup contender Itz Bettor To Win (eight wins from 17 starts for $124,548).

Trainer Mark Jones is set to debut Itz Risky Business, a 3YO Bettor’s Delight brother to Itz Bettor To Win, over 2600m from a stand start at Omakau on Saturday.

Itz Risky Business qualified, running fifth as a 2YO in 2:00.5 (1609m) in an Ashburton trial 12 months ago. He has made solid progress without winning in two mobile start trials and two mobile start workouts this month.

MASTER LAVROS RETURNS HOME FOR LONG SLOW RECOVERY

Injured dual Dominion Handicap champion Master Lavros returned to Canterbury on Tuesday to begin his rehabilitation.

Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones admits it will be a long slow road to recovery for the half-million dollar earner.

Master Lavros will undergo more scans on his injured hind suspensory to fully ascertain the extent of his damaged ligament.

All Mark can advise is that the great trotter will be sidelined for some time.

He is unable to provide a time-line for a future return but will be do his best to ensure the horse makes it back to the track.

Every effort will be made for him to return as a competitive open class squaregaiter.

MASTER LAVROS SIDELINED WITH SUSPENSORY INJURY

Dual Dominion Handicap winner Master Lavros has had his summer racing plans shelved after suffering damage to a hind suspensory.

Master Lavros, shown winning his second G1 Hellers Dominion at Addington on November 13.

Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones will assess the injury over the next few days but says the giant squaregaiter will be sidelined for some time.

Master Lavros, who had just over a week off after taking out his second Group One Dominion Trot at Addington on November 13, had pleased in his Pukekohe workout leading up to last Friday’s $40,000 Rosslands Lyell Creek Stakes and in the race itself.

Mark worked Master Lavros to the front 1400m in the Group Two Lyell Creek but was outfinished in the run home by exciting 4YO Monbet in a strong 2:00.4 clip for the 2200m, the leaders running their last 800m in 56.4s, in his first race for five weeks.

Master Lavros had raced just five times this term for two wins and two seconds, picking up $162,908, for owner Kypros Kotzikas.

The giant-sized Sundon gelding is still lightly-raced for an aged squaregaiter with 47 lifetime starts for 19 wins and 11 placings for $590,102 in stakes.

By Jeff Scott

SAMANTHA OTTLEY REWARDED WITH SOUTH WINS

Successful reinswoman Samantha Ottley was rewarded for her personal attention with smart racemare Rocker Band by driving her to a track record 1:53.3 at Winton on Saturday, December 19.

“Sam’s been doing all the work with her so it was good to get her back driving a nice one again,” said trainer Mark Jones.

Sam joined Mark’s Overport Lodge team a week before being sidelined with a luckless nasty race spill at Methven in mid-October.

Rocker Band, decorated with a garland of flowers, after taking out the Aon Insurance Equine Stakes at Winton in a track record 1:53.3 (1609m). Photo: Bruce Stewart, Southland Harness Racing.

However, she is back doing what she does best again with stable wins behind Forty Thieves at Forbury on Wednesday, December 16, and with Rocker Band at Winton.

Sam, the first female junior reinswoman to drive 100 winners in NZ and a former junior premiership winner, couldn’t have rated Rocker Band any better in the $14,913 Aon Insurance Equine Stakes at Winton.

She let her roll from seven gate and had too much gate speed for the inside runners.

Only Lightning Mach (drawn outside her) was charged up and had designs on the front, with Sam sitting inch-perfect trailing up with Rocker Band through the opening half in 57.8s.

With fellow Cantab visitor Lovetodream (Nigel McGrath) moving up parked to keep the pace strong, Sam was sweet waiting for a home straight run and Rocker Band won as she liked.

Sam said she was surprised when she learned of the fast time. She said it didn’t seem as though they were going that quick.

Rocker Band’s 1:53.3 mile lowered the previous best of 1:53.7 by the Robert Dunn-trained Cullens Mercy in 2013.

Rocker Band had last term been race-timed to run 1:52.6 when she finished eighth to The Orange Agent in the Ashburton Harness Jewels 3YO Diamond on May 30.

The 4YO daughter of Rocknroll Hanover and 2005 New Zealand Cup-winning mare Mainland Banner (1:55.1, 17 wins & $684,580), has now won five of 15 starts for Gold Coast owner Greg Brodie, for $51,190.

She has always promised she would improve with age and could be in for a big 4YO season.

Mainland Banner (Christian Cullen-Corporate Banner), the dam of four in 1:58 or better from her first four to race, was also represented by final race Winton winner Return To Sender, who led from the nine gate to win a C2 pace in 2:56.4 (1:58.3 mile rate) for Dexter Dunn.

Return To Sender, now the winner of eight from 49 starts for $100,561, had paced a faster 2:55.1 over 2400m (1:57.4 rate) when winning at Wyndham as a three-year-old.

Mainland Banner, exported to Australia two years ago by owner Peter Chambers of Glenferrie Farm Ltd, is also the dam of 1:52.4 USA winner Peruvian Banner (one NZ win, nine USA wins for $NZ95898), and Stunin Banner (1:56.2), winner of 13 (11 in NZ, two in Australia) for $105,845.

Rocker Band was the second win for trainer Mark Jones in the Winton Equine Stakes.

He also won with former useful mare Telemecanique in 2009, when she defeated top south mare Beaudiene Bad Babe in 1:57.6.

Telemancanique (Falcon Seelster-Seldom Home) later won in 1:52.2 in North America and retied with 15 career wins (11 in NZ, four in USA), for $185,615 in stakes.

Samantha Ottley, after winning at Winton with Rocker Band. Photo: Bruce Stewart, Southland Harness Racing.

She is now the dam of a yearling Christian Cullen filly and foaled a filly again this year to champion sire Bettor’s Delight.

Forty Thieves, who opened his winning account at Forbury for trainer Mark Jones and driver Sam Ottley, was winning second-up for Perth owner Gary Elson.

Gary, who formerly owned big Australian winner and 2012 Interdominion Heat winner Crombie (now a 1:50.2 USA performer), also owned 2013 Group One WA Golden Slipper Pace Class Of Tara, after formerly racing him from the Yaldhurst stables of Robert Cameron.

Sam eased Forty Thieves from the two gate for a good out and three back sit in the Gerry’s Boy and The Presidents Mobile Pace at Forbury.

She had the favourite out and running three wide when back runners impoved wide at the 600m and stormed to the front turning for home. They held strongly by 1 3/4 lengths over the leaders last 800m in 59.4s and final 400m in 29s.

Mark says Forty Thieves, a 3YO Christian Cullen-Harem Franco gelding, is still 12 month away from maturing.

Even so, Forty Thieves still rated a promising 1:59.5 for the mobile 2200m.

He becomes the third sub 2:00 winner for his dam Harem Franco (TT, 1:57.2), also the dam of useful winners Franco Harrison (1:58.1, three wins) and Franco Harrington (1:58.3, five wins).

Harem Franco, a raceplaced daughter of Artiscape, is from Huntress Hanover (p3, 1:58.2h, USA), a half-sister to former big-winning USA winners and later NZ sires, Holmes Hanover (1:54.4) and Michael Jonathon.

Huntress Hanover, a daughter of the former fastest 2YO filly of all time in Hazel Hanover (p2, 1:56.4, 22 wins & former USA 2YO Filly of the Year), has made her mark in NZ as the dam of Hunter Franco (1:58.7, three wins), the dam of Regulus (1:51.8h, US, 12 wins & over $200,000), Franco Hemmingway (1:56.9, seven wins & $A126,284) and Franco Hendrix (1:59.1, 10 wins & $A114,588).

The win of Forty Thieves is good timing for Equine Investments Ltd, who are offering Forty Wives, a half-brother by champion sire Bettor’s Delight to Forty Thieves, Franco Harrison and Franco Harrington, at the NZ Premier Yearling Sale on February 23.

By Jeff Scott