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MELBOURNE-BOUND ULTIMATE CC WINS NEVELE R CONSOLATION

Its been a game of changing owners over the last two years for Ultimate CC, who bowed out of NZ racing a winner of the $15,000 Nevele R Fillies No.36 Consolation at Addington on Saturday, May 10.

Ultimate CC sprints best for Mark Jones with 100m to run in the $15,000 Nevele R Fillies Consolation at Addington.

Initally a $135,000 buy-back at the yearling sales, Ultimate CC was then purchased post the sales by Peter Chambers for under the six figure asking price.

Mr Chambers then on-sold her to fellow Australian Overport Lodge stable client Greg Brodie, who recently passed her on to trainer Mark Jones.

Mark had sold Mr Brodie a daughter of Rocknroll Hanover and 2005 New Zealand Cup winner Mainland Banner, which appears to have a more promising future, with the transfer of Ultimate CC to Mark’s WDC 03 (World Driving Champion 2003) Limited company as part of the deal.

“She was in a hard grade and Greg’s not interested in breeding them.” Mark said.

The Mainland Banner filly, named Rocker Band, is a half-sister to Peruvian Banner (1:52.1, US), Stunin Banner (11 wins, 1:59.5) and Return To Sender (four wins, 1:57.4 rate, 2400m).

“I’ve turned her out for a few months and she’s had an operation. She’s a nice type,” Mark said of Rocker Band, who qualified winning a Rangiora 2000m trial in 2:31.7 on April 7.

Mark was going to breed from Ultimate CC, but when a good offer came, he reasoned it wasn’t worth it for him waiting years to get her foals on the ground.

A final look at Ultimate CC, who will advance her  career in Victoria.

“Stuart Valentine arranged it. I don’t know who the new owner is but she’s off to Melbourne,” Mark said.

Ultimate CC, who picked up a $9000 winning stake on Saturday, has a bit going for post her race career with her breeding (Christian Cullen-TK Swift).

She leaves NZ the winner of three and five times placed from 15 starts for $24,086 in stakes and has a fastest winning mile rate to date of 2:00.3 (1800m) on the grass at Waikouaiti.

She has placed in a 1:58.1 rate (1609m) and ran a slick final 800m in 56.4s to win Saturday’s consolation.

Ultimate CC responded to a smart front-running drive by Mark, who was allowed an easy run front in the mid stages.

She kicked best in the straight to hold Armazem, Going To California and favourite Speights Girl (parked over the last 700m) by three-quarters of a length, rating 2:02.2 for the full 1950m.

The win was Mark’s 62nd training win of the season. He holds third on the NZ trainers premiership this term behind the Purdon/Rasmussen barn (130 wins) and Robert Dunn (79 wins).

MASTER LAVROS SURVIVES ‘BEST’ INQUIRY IN ROWE CUP

Top horseman Mark Jones was confident Master Lavros would be declared Rowe Cup champion before entering the inquiry room at Alexandra Park, Auckland, on Friday, May 10.

Dexter Dunn, driving runnerup Sheemon, put in a protest after Master Lavros drifted outwards under pressure in the run home, but there wasn’t enough in it to change the result.

Head on view of the Rowe Cup finish. Master Lavros holds Sheemon (wide). Trish Dunell photo.

Mark says the professionalism of all participants in the inquiry was pleasing.

“Not just because I won, but it was probably one of the best inquiries I’ve been involved with,” he said.

“Everyone stuck to that facts. Dexter was very good. He never went out of his way to overturn it and Kevin Townley (Sheemon’s trainer) was extremely good.”

Mark said John Muirhead (Stipendiary steward) was very good and fair with his interpretation of events.

“He said Mr Jones had run out but has not made any contact and I cannot say that Mr Dunn would have beaten Mr Jones.”

“I would have hated the backlash if we’d been put out,” Mark said after delivering with the $3 favourite.

“I think Kevin Townley felt a bit bad about it, but you have to look at it from their situation. They’re doing their best to win the race too.”

“Even before we went in there Kevin said I don’t want to protest and I don’t want to win a race like that.”

Owner Kypros Kotzikas (left) is joined by partner Jane Campbell (second from left) after the win of Master Lavros in the 2014 Canam Rowe Cup. Trainer-driver Mark Jones answers questions from the media. Trish Dunell photo.

Kypros Kotzikas, the owner of Master Lavros, was asked for his interpretation of events and according to Mark quite simply told the inquiry: “I don’t know why we are here. We did nothing wrong and did not interfere with that horse.”

The Judicial Control Authority agreed the home straight movement wasn’t enough to change the placings, although they took $450 from Mark for allowing Master Lavros to shift outwards.

Mark says there are adjustments to turn a trotter like Master Lavros around from racing left-handed at Addington, which he prefers, then rig him differently to race right-handed.

Mark says Master Lavros was running on empty the final 100m in the Rowe, but when Sheemon challenged, he put his head down and toughed it out.

“Probably six months ago he wouldn’t have done that,” he said.

“All it boils down to is that good horses just want to do it.”

Master Lavros, three back on the outer, zipped up a lap out and strode to the front at the 700m. He held the booming finish wide of Sheemon by a neck, trotting the 3200m in 4:06.4 (2:03.4 mile rate), the last 800m in 60.1s

During the race, Mark says it was as good as Master Lavros had trotted.

“During the running he felt a million dollars,” he said.

Master Lavros had mixed his gait in the Greenlane Cup, and has also broken at other times during the season, but Mark says he can’t find anything wrong with him.

“He has a few niggles but nothing that you could say is a problem. What probably makes things a lot worse is that mentally when he does make one mistake and gallops, he loses the plot.”

He expects him to come back better at six and is looking forward to the horse proving himself in Australia.

The Rowe win was very satisfying for Mark as a horseman, emulating father Peter, who drove Tussle to win the 1985 Rowe and 1986 Dominion, and also won the 1990 Dominion with Sundon.

It also came as a bonus as it was a late decision to keep him going another month for the Rowe.

He now heads to the spelling paddock the winner of 15 races from 31 starts for $351,468 in stakes.

Mark, who was recording his 61st training win of the term in the Rowe, with the team earning over $680,000 in stakes, says the season had exceeded expectations.

“We’ve probably won the right races with the right horses,” he said.

“But it will probably be my best for a few years. Numbers-wise we’re way down,” he said.

However, having a “flagship” horse and the raging favourite to be crowned NZ Trotter Of The Year, is the icing on the cake.

“Cran (Dalgety, former boss) always said that. You can win 100 races in a season but no-one really remembers it unless you have a flagship horse that wins some big races.”

Maximising their potential takes skill and management. Mark continues to make most of the right calls with Master Lavros and providing he stays sound, the huge Sundon gelding will cement his claim as NZ’s leading squaregaiter.

SMOKE N SANTANNA SHOULD DEVELOP AT THREE

Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones will give last week’s maiden winner Smoke N Santanna his chance in next week’s 2YO Garrards Sires Stakes Silver before tipping him out till next term.

“Hopefully he’ll be in the Consolation and then the paddock,” Mark said.

Smoke N Santanna shown winning at the Addington trials, was untroubled to justify his hot favouritism in an Addington maiden on May 2.

“He’s a very nice horse but its scary how good the two-year-olds are this season.

“He’ll be better at three,” he said.

Smoke N Santanna, a son of the smart racemare Smoke N Mirrors (10 wins for $189,675 in stakes), justified his $1.90 favourtism against the older maidens in the Avon City Ford Mobile Pace at Addington on Friday May 2.

He appreciated a significant class drop back after finishing unplaced in three two-year-old starts in April.

Driver Jonny Cox didn’t rush the Santanna Blue Chip colt early from the three gate for his maiden victory, being left parked.

Cox’s inquiry for the front at the 1200m was denied by Gavin Smith (San Diego) but Cox knew Smoke N Santanna was travelling like the winner down the back, letting him surge to the front at the 600m.

The favourite raced several lengths clear on the home turn and was allowed the luxury of easing down over the final 100m, winning untested by 3 1/4 lengths.

Smoke N Santanna rated 2:00.4 for the mobile 1950m, the leaders running their last 800m in 61.3s and final 400m in 30.7s.

He showed his promise qualifying in early December at Addington in a 2:02.5 rate (1950m).

Smoke N Santanna is raced by his breeders, Peter and Debbie Smith, and Peter’s mother, Patricia, who also race Smoke N Santanna’s year older half-brother Smoke N Grin, the winner of one from three from the Dunedin stable of Jonny Cox and Amber Hoffman.

Tuxedo Max, continues to make solid progress. Last Friday’s Addington win as his second, while he has also placed twice in seven starts.

The Mark Jones stable notched a winning Addington double, advancing to 60 wins for the term when Tuxedo Max also scored a clear-cut win in the C1-2 Blue Star Taxis Handicap Pace.

Tuxedo Max, a 3YO colt by former top pacer Elsu from Paris Hilton (by Village Jasper), appreciated the strong tempo over the 2000m stand.

He settled sixth for catch driver Jimmy Curtin, slotting into the running line, then hooked wide at the 400m to reel in Jericho, who had dashed clear the 500m.

Tuxedo Max sailed past the pacemaker at the 200m and was unchallenged in the run to the wire, scoring by 3 1/4 lengths in 2:30.4 (2:00.9 mile rate), the leaders last 800m in 58.9s and final 400m in 30.2s.

His time was just 0.9 of a second outside the NZ 3YO colts and geldings mark, set by Classie Mach in 2012.

“He’s doing a nice job. I can’t believe no-one has bought him!,” Mark said.

This was his second win from seven starts. He gets a chance to further his solid record in the C1 mobile pace at Timaru this Sunday.

MACHS A FLYIN OUTSIDE HOPE OF JEWELS CUT

Its been a wonderful ride already for the YOR ! Racing with Mark Jones Syndicate with Machs A Flyin and providing he’s not sold in the interim, he could realise a harness racing syndicate dream this month.

Machs A Flyin is currently 17th on the list of eligibles for the Harness Jewels 4YO Emerald at Cambridge on May 31.

The son of Mach Three and Flying Sands (11 wins, 1:56.5, 1950m) can stake his claim further in Friday’s $23,500 Christian Cullen Super Series Open Graduation Mobile Pace at Addington.

He has a second row barrier but has shown he can work in his races. He has until May 18 to edge into the top 12 for the Jewels.

His stakes toward a Jewels start total $28,122.50, with current 12th qualifier Mossdale Conner having earned $32,369.69.

“Its going to be a big test for him this week. He’s going to find it tough, so would be good to get him sold,” Mark said.

“I guess, for the syndicate he would go to the Jewels if he gets in. But at this stage he may struggle to make the cut,” he said.

His trainer, and syndicate manager Mark McNamara, have been extremely thankful for the opportunity to lease the talented 4YO from owners Phil and Glenys Kennard, Neil Pilcher, and Phil and Margaret Creighton.

Machs A Flyin stretches out for Paul Wallace to win the Bishopdale & Bush Inn TABs & Taverns Harewood Mobile Pace for amateur drivers at Addington on Thursday, April 24.

Machs A Flyin notched his third win in his last four starts for the Overport Lodge team when making the most of an easier option in the amateur drivers pace last week at Addington on Thursday, April 24.

He has won just over $11,000 in the last month for the syndicate.

Machs A Flyin again showed his steely resolve, this time when driven confidently by Paul Wallace, being untroubled to race parked in the open over the 1950m trip.

He was too strong for a trailing Jennalee in the run home, holding comfortably by three-quarters of a length in a 2:00.8 rate.

The younger brother to seven-win mare Supreme Gem (1:57.9) had previously notched a winning double at Rangiora and Forbury for stable junior driver Kimberly Butt, who retains the drive in Friday’s graduation.

He moved up parked at the 900m and wore down stablemate The Ultimate Storm (Michelle Neilson) in the junior drivers pace (Best Wishes For Retirement Brian Wilson Mobile Pace) at Rangiora on Sunday, April 6, in a 2:00.1 rate over the 2600m, the last 800m in 56.5s.

He again moved up parked to outstay Highview Anwell at Forbury over 2700m on April 10.

Machs A Flyin kept giving at the business end to post a useful 3:27.4 (2:03.5) mile rate for the stand start 2700m, before being beaten by a bad draw in the wet at Forbury on April 17.

The odds are probably against him winning again this week against the likes of Lewy Risk, Fifth Edition and Dynamic Party.

But he’ll be doing his best and a top four finish will edge him closer to a being a Jewels prospect, a thought that seemed impossble a month ago.