OHOKA TEXAS IMPRESSIVE WINNER
Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones felt he might not have gone too slow with Ohoka Texas when nosed out by Magical Mel on NZ Cup day, but non-one could get close to him over the final lap at Addington on Show day, November 11, 2011.
Mark and Ohoka Texas claimed the biggest win of the premier week when distancing their rivals by 10 1/2 lengths in the 3 win $13,250 Fahey Fence Hire Mobile Pace pace over the mobile 1950m.
Ohoka Texas raced several classes above his rivals on the day.
Mark eased him back to last early of the seven from an outside draw, then began to roll him forward from the 1400m to be parked outside Courageous Jay beginning the final lap.
He was in front at the 1000m. Mark let him stride down the back and he had most of them of his rivals off the bit by the 600m.
He was six lengths clear before Mark activated the pull-down blinds turning for home, destroying his rivals as he kept going to win by a street.
“He doesn’t show you a lot of high speed he can sustain a strong run like that,” Mark said.
Ohoka Texas, a 4YO Christian Cullen entire raced by Katie, Adam and Olivia Carville, rated a smart 1:56.7 in the cool conditions, giving nothing else a chance over his last 800m in 56.2s and final 400m in 28.5s.
He is bred to be above average being the first foal from the good Live Or Die racemare Millwood Touche (1:56, nine wins), who raced for the Mark Purdon/Grant Payne team.
Millwood Touche’s dam Quiet Touch (Boyden Hanover-Queen To Be) was another smart mare, winning 10 races for trainer Ian Shinn, and owners the late Wayne Francis, Barrie Barber and Malcolm Shinn.
Quiet Touch (1:57.8) was the 1986 NZ 4YO Pacing Mare of the Year, winning a NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes and an Ashburton Cup, and also running thirds in an Auckland Cup and a NZ Messenger 4YO Championship.
It was an Overport Lodge quinella in the Fahey Fence Hire Mobile Pace with stablemate Ardlussa Express (Ricky May) best of the chasers, finishing on late from three back on the markers. Northerner Merv ran on wide out for third, with upset Tuesday winner Courageous Jay next.
Supreme Gem, the only other starter for the Overport Lodge team on Friday, was a strong-finishing third from an awkward second row draw behind Paddy Brown and Miss Elsie in the 2-4 wins Peninsular Resort Mooloolaba Mobile Pace for fillies and mares.
Front-running Paddy Brown made the most of an improved draw from Tuesday for co-trainer Mark Purdon, holding by a head, with Supreme Gem doing well wide out for third half a length back, the winner rating 2:00.3 for the 1950m.
MARK DELIVERS WITH MAH SISH
Mark Jones provided a minor highlight in the support races on NZ Cup day 2011, teaming up with the Dean Taylor-trained Mah Sish to win the 4-6 wins James Pascoe Ltd Mobile Pace.
“He’s a very good as he showed today,” Mark said.
Mah Sish had no favours from a horror draw, moving up parked over the final 1000m and dug deep to wear down pacemaker Charge Forward, then hold a late marker run from Our Boy Su.
The five-year-old Mach Three gelding kept giving to score by half a length in a 1:55.4 mile rate for the 1950m, the leaders running their last 800m in 56.1s.
Mark has driven him in all but two of his seven wins from just 11 starts, for $52,115 in stakes.
He was hoping for a winning double with stable runner Ohoka Texas in the 3 wins $30,000 Blue Star Taxis Mobile Pace, but they were denied in the last bound by Magical Mel and Dexter Dunn.
After going to the front mid-race, Ohoka Texas fought well but came up a nose short, the winner pacing the mobile 2600m in 3:15.4 (2:00.9 mile rate), the last 800m in 56.7s.
Mark also settled for an honest placings with his other stable runner, Ardlussa Express, on Cup day.
Ardlussa Express furthered his solid formline, running on stoutly late for third behind upset winner Courageous Jay, and Te Kinga Boy, in the $20,000 2-3 win Southern Demolition & Salvage Free-For-All.
By Jeff Scott