KUROW TC, Sunday, August 2
KUROW TC, Sunday, August 2
Derringer, younger brother to former 3YO Sires Stakes winner Texican, having his first tote race at Oamaru on Sunday.
Race 3: DERRINGER (6, Kimberly Butt), mob. 2000m: “Has the makings of a nice horse but still a bit green. Should be a chance with the right luck.”
Race 8: ALL DELIGHT (6, Craig Thornley), 2600m std: “Has freshened up and usually very honest. Steps well and should get her chance.”
Race 10: EASTBURN MARA (2, Kimberley Butt), mob. 2000m: “On the way up and should be better for his workout on Wednesday. Could place.”
AUCK-NZ METRO TC, Friday, July 31
AUCKLAND TC, Friday, July 31
Race 7: POMME ROY (7, Michael Blakemore), mob. 2200m: “No luck last week but racing good and a chance with the right luck.”
NZ METRO TC, Friday, July 31
Zena Mac, racing generously and an each-way chance from a wide gate at Addington on Friday night.
Race 3: PERISSA (6, Robbie Close), mob. 1950m: “Racing well in the series but Valor Lustre going very good too.”
Race 4: ZENA MAC (9, Robbie Close), mob. 2600m: “Racing great but looking for luck from outside front.”
Race 5: DANKE (10, Robbie Close), 3, 10m, 2600m: “Doing things right so far for us. Should be a chance again.”
Race 6: EXPRESSO MARTINI (9), mob. 1950m: “Rewarded last time and very consistent. Draw no help but should go his usual honest race.”
Race 7: FAIR DINKUM BROMAC (3, Kimberly Butt), 2600m std: “Good to get a couple of C1 wins with him in his last four starts. Up in grade again but outside place.”
KUMEU DTC, Thursday, July 30
KUMEU DTC, Thursday, July 30
Race 3: ZAKSPATROL (1, Michael Blakemore), mob. 2200m: “Racing very good and big chance again.”
Race 6: SUNOFLINDENNY (6, Mark), UR 2, 10m, 3200m: “Place chance with the right luck.”
Two Marks say thanks for coming
WINTER SUCCESS: DANKE FOR COMING SYNDICATE
Canterbury racecaller Mark McNamara crystal-balled a win or two in the right places with Danke when he took a punt and secured the 73 start veteran.
Back on the syndication trail for a touch of winter fun, Mark “Mac” and Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones furthered a winning association with their latest project at Forbury last Friday.
Blair Orange, successful behind Danke for the two Marks (McNamara & Jones), at Forbury.
Danke, who had promised wins for Motukarara trainer Murray Edmonds, had won twice previously but invariably had disappointed with frustrating manners on the strong Canterbury circuit.
Downgraded and sent south for an easier C0-1 attempt first-up first-up from his new quarters at Forbury last Friday, the horse exceeded expectations by recouping his outlay in one hit.
Mark McNamara encouraged 19 others to try their luck in the Danke (thanks in German) For Coming Syndicate.
“Yep, it was a good result to get a win first-up for Mark Mac, who does a wonderful job with syndicates,” said the Overport Lodge trainer.
Driver Blair Orange stepped Danke safely but cautiously, soon finding a perfect one-one sit.
Danke, a cleverly-named 7YO Sundon-Thanx gelding, was too advanced for maiden Scottie Trouble in the run home, scoring by 1 1/4 lengths in 2:52 for the stand start 2200m.
Connections will be hopeful a return to winning form could spark a resurgence in Danke’s career.
He gets a chance to feature again, but returns to Canterbury racing in a stronger C1-2 mobile 2600m trot at Rangiora on Sunday.
However, Danke has a win and a placing from 20 mobile career starts and if his manners hold, can’t be ruled out being dividend-bearing again.
Blakemore given Overport Lodge opportunities
MICHAEL BLAKEMORE GETS ANOTHER FORM DRIVE
Northern junior driver Michael Blakemore gets another chance to improve his score for Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones at Auckland on Friday, July 24.
He scored an easy win with stablemate and hot favourite Pomme Roy at Auckland last Friday and drives likely favourite Zakspatrol in Race 10 tonight.
Zakspatrol,the one to beat in The Alex Bar & Eatery Mobile Pace at Alexandra Park tonight.
“Michael works for Ray Green. He’s a good kid who is keen and drives well,” Mark said.
“He deserves a chance and has been very helpful up here.”
Mark has his northern team based at Ray Green’s Pukekohe stables.
After Michael scored a penalty-free bonus 3YO win with Pomme Roy last week, Mark takes the reins behind that pacer from a tougher alley tonight.
However, he offers Michael another chance with Zakspatrol in Race 10.
“Pomme Roy can win again but will need luck from a wide gate but Zakspatrol is drawn better and should be a strong chance,” Mark said.
Pomme Roy, luckless when checked in the run home two weeks ago, was untroubled to lead over the last 1600m from the three gate last week and was well-rated.
He held Twoandahalf Tigers by 2 1/4 lengths in a comfortable 2:03.2 rate for the 2200m, quickening over his last 800m in 57s in a C1-2 race at the Franklin meeting.
The Christian Cullen-TK Swift gelding extended his earnings to $35,778 from five wins in 19 starts. He contests another strong $13,500 C1-2 combined grade race tonight.
Zakspatrol should get his chance from the two gate in the $10,000 C1-2 pace over 2200m at Auckland tonight.
The 4YO Art Major gelding bounced back from an unplaced run two weeks ago with a strong-finishing third last week beind First Home in a 2:00.6 rate (2700m).
He is another who has been well placed by Mark, racking up six wins from 49 starts, yet is still on a C2 assessment.
On paper, he finds a slightly easier assignment tonight up against just six rivals with Bettabe Perfect and No Apachemee the likely dangers.
Other Overport Lodge chances tonight are the squaregaiters, the consistent Sunoflindenny and Kowhai Monarch, who has his first taste of a mobile despatch in the C1-3 mobile 2200m trot.
Sunoflindenny is drawn to control the front end from the ace in the C3 & faster feature trot over 1700m, but is likely to be under seige again from the in-form One Over Da Moon in the C3 & faster feature trot over 1700m.
Also adding to the mix is top 3YO Speeding Spur, who bounced back from a top recovery after an early lapse in the Harness Jewels on May 30 for a lead-up hit-out in a Breeders Crown heat at Cambridge on July 9.
AUCK-NZ METRO-RANGIORA HRC, July 24-26
AUCKLAND TC, Friday, July 24
Sunoflindenny, ultra-consistent in his latest north racing without nailing a win. Gets another chance at Auckland on Friday night.
Race 4: POMME ROY (7, Mark), mob. 2200m: “Drawn wide enough and will need luck but he is working well and a winning chance.”
Race 5: SUNOFLINDENNY (1, Mark), mob. 1700m: “Drawn well over his fav. distance. Drawn to lead and run and can place.”
Race 8: KOWHAI MONARCH (4, Mark), mob. 2200m:mobile “Is unknown from the mobile but hopefully it will be a help and can place.”
Race 10: ZAKSPATROL (2, Michael Blakemore), mob. 2200m: “Drawn better and is racing good. A strong chance.”
NZ METRO TC, Friday, July 26
Race 4: ZENA MAC (SCRATCHED).
Race 5: FAIR DINKUM BROMAC (3, Robbie Close), mob. 1950m: “Has got a new lease of life and an outside place chance.”
RANGIORA HRC, Sunday, July 26
Race 7: DANKE (6, Blair Orange), mob. 2600m: “Step up but won well last week and can upset again.”
Race 8: FAIR DINKUM BROMAC (3) & ZENA MAC (9, UR 2), 2600m std: “This is a good race for him and providing they go hard he should be a big show.”
“Zena Mac is racing super and with luck can win again!”
Close adds NZ Junior Drivers title to record
ROBBIE CLOSE NOW AUSTRALASIAN & NZ JUNIOR CHAMP
By Matt Markham, HRNZ
Robbie Close is now just one final hurdle away from his own near-perfect season.
And you could bet your final dollar that the talented young horseman will be doing everything possible to overcome it.
Close added the McMillians New Zealand Junior Driver Championships to his impressive season haul last night meaning he is both the New Zealand and Australasian Young Drivers Champion in the same season.
But that wasn’t all.
Robbie Close, the Australasian and NZ Junior Drivers champion.
In winning the final of the three heats of the night’s competition on Friday, July 16, on Pammy’s Boy, Close not only secured himself the championship, but brought up his 100th career driving win in the process.
And he was pretty chuffed about both.
“It’s a pretty awesome feeling to win my 100th race, but to do in these circumstances just makes it even better,’’ he said.
But while the titles and accolades are all great, Close knows he’s got one more major assignment to tick off the list before the season ends and that’s getting his name at the top of the junior drivers premiership – a spot currently held by Stevie Golding.
After Closes’ victory last night the margin is three with Golding picking up a winning double.
“It’s going to be tough to peg Stevie back, but things are going pretty good so I’ll be giving it my best.’’
Heading into last night’s competition Close wasn’t all that confident of his chances.
He picked up a vital third in the opening event of the night on The Persuader before sitting out the middle leg due to not being allocated a drive due to low numbers.
In Pammy’s Boy, Close knew he had a horse capable and took luck out of the equation by sending the Murray Edmonds trained trotter straight to the front and dominating from there on.
“It’s really nice to be able to achieve all this on one of Murray’s horses.
Fair Dinkum Bromac,in winning form for the Mark Jones stable in a NZ Junior Drivers Championship Heat at Addington on July 16.
“Murray really supported me early on in my career and gave me a lot of drives so it’s fitting.’’
Brad Williamson made the play early in last night’s competition by winning the opening heat on board the Greg and Nina Hope trained Western Art after a well thought out and perfectly executed drive.
He beat home defending champion Michelle Neilson who pulled out all stops on Nui Toc Tien but just came up short in what was an all-South Island dominant with the first six placings going to the six Mainland representatives.
The result was almost perfectly reversed in the second of the three heats with Tony Cameron producing a peach of a drive on Fair Dinkum Bromac to get the Mark Jones trained pacer home past the post first.
He beat Michael Blakemore (Best Defence) and Jack MacKinnon (Scanreco Bay) with Neilson’s fifth placing on Alexy shutting out a North Island clean sweep.
The result left the competition up in the air heading into the final race but Close produced a cagey drive to get the chocolates on Pammy’s Boy – narrowly beating home Kyle Marshall (Blue Don) and MacKinnon (Visualise).
Close finished with 34 points, well clear of Neilson and MacKinnon who tied on 27 points.
Neilson got the nod for second placing overall on the basis of finishing second in the opening heat.
The other major prize of the night – the North v. South challenge was claimed by the South Island side who won with 147 points to the North’s 137.
Individual final points table:
1 Robbie Close 34
2 Michelle Neilson 27
3 Jack MacKinnon 27
4 Brad Williamson 26
5= Michael Blakemore 25
5= Kyle Marshall 25
7 Tony Cameron 24
8 Matt Purvis 21
9 Kimberly Butt 20
10= Ben Butcher 19
10= Stevie Golding 19
12 Dylan Ferguson 17
South Island 147
North Island 137
FORBURY-FRANKLIN-ASHBURTON TC, July 17-19
FORBURY PARK TC, Friday, July 17
Race 1: DANKE (7, Blair Orange), 3, 30m, 2200m std: “Trialled nice and if he gets away quick is a winning hope.”
Race 3: ZENA MAC (10, Robbie Close), mob. 2200m: “Just needs luck from the draw to be a winning hope.”
FRANKLIN TC, Friday, July 17
Pomme Roy, luckless the last bit last week at Auckland and looking to atone at the Franklin meeting on Friday night.
Race 3: KOWHAI MONARCH (8, Mark), UR 2, 2200m std: “Good win last start. He needs to begin quicker against the one-win horses to be a chance but he is good enough.”
Race 4: ZAKSPATROL (5, Zac Butcher), mob. 2700m: “Average last week so will try a change of driver. If he puts his best foot forward he is a big winning hope.”
Race 6: ROCKER BAND (3, Zac Butcher), mob. 2200m: “Choked down last two starts so trying new gear and driver. If she relaxes she’s an each way chance.”
Race 7: POMME ROY (3, Michael Blakemore), mob. 2200m: “Working well and best hope of the night.”
ASHBURTON TC, Sunday, July 19
Race 8: FAIR DINKUM BROMAC (4, Blair Orange), 2400m std: “Good to get a penalty-free win with him on Thursday. A good chance again in that field with Sonnetsson the one to beat.”