MARK QUALIFIES TWO FOR FILLIES FINAL
Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones scored top-end and tail wins on the Forbury Park programme on April 21 with Glenferrie Magic and OK Courage.
Glenferrie Magic will join stablemate Holme Fire in the $170,000 Magness Benrow NZ Sires Stakes Final at Auckland on May 6 after scoring comfortably in a $14,000 non-tote Sires heat at Forbury on Thursday night.
The P-Forty-Seven filly overcame the outside six barrier.
“She sat parked over the last 1100m and won easy,” Mark said.
“I was expecting Shezanelsu to be a bit of a danger but she galloped in the trail turning for home.”
Glenferrie Magic strode clear to win by a length and a quarter in 2:05.8 for the mobile 1700m, a 1:59.1 mile rate.
Alchemist, who led, and Here We Go Again, incovenienced by the breaking Shezanelsu turning for home, ran on late to fill the minors.
The Peter Chambers-owned Glenferrie Magic had previously run seconds at her previous two starts in the Group three “American Ideal” Stakes at Rangiora on March 6 (to Dancing Diamonds), and the Listed Caduceus Club Of Southland/Nevele R Stud 2YO Fillies Pace at Invercargill on March 26 (to Here We Go Again).
OK Courage appreciated a return to mobile start racing at the end of the Forbury card in the 3-5 wins Mainline Electrical Mobile Pace.
Mark sent the Greg Brodie-owned pacer to the top beginning the final lap and he held comfortably by three-quarters of a length from Hi Gun, and the late-finishing Kai Bree She.
OK Courage paced the mobile 2200m in a solid 2:44.3 (2:00.1 mile rate), quickening over his last 800m in 59s and final 400m in 29.2s.
The 5YO Courage Under Fire gelding has been astutely placed by Mark to win 11 of 29 starts for $92,552 stakes, but has had six penalty-free wins in his career. He is only a five-win handicapping assessment.