PERISSA SMART IN GOLDEN GIRLS HEAT; HEAT/FINAL TO COME
Durable mare Perissa raised her hoof as a leading contender for the $11,000 Breeders Golden Girls Metro Series Final on July 31, with her heat win at Addington last Friday, July 10.
The series is a useful winter target for the Art Major mare as she is eligible for another heat at Addington this Thursday, leading into the final.
Perissa, out-toughed her rivals in a the Second C0-2 Golden Girls Heat at Addington on Friday.
Perissa was at her best again, ruffling the winter coats of her rivals, with a positive drive in last Friday’s heat.
Form junior Robbie Close made a play for the lead a lap out in the second heat of the $7820 Trevinos Restaurant & Bar Golden Girls Pace.
He was denied the front by Christian Lady (Peter McCelland) but when he put the acid test on at the 500m, Perissa maintained her free-flowing style.
She was two lengths clear turning for home and kept up to her work by Robbie, doubled the winning margin in the run home.
She rated a superb 1:57 for the mobile 1950m on a freezing night, maintaining her composure over her last 800m in 59.2s and final 400m in 28.7s.
Perissa, ultra-consistent since joining the Overport Lodge team of Mark Jones last November, has been well-placed.
She remains on a C2 assessement, despite this being her fourth career win and her third win for the Jones stable.
Her earnings advanced to $36,576 for owners Steve and Maureen O’Brien.
She has a career best mile rate of 1:56.4 (mobile 2000m), set when setting a track record 2:24.8 at Rangiora on December 31.
Christian Lady called on a renewed effort for trainer Peter McCelland to hold second, with Little Tess and The Tisbury Terror fighting out the minors.
The Overport Lodge stable of Mark Jones won the opening three legs of Friday’s Turbo Pick6 at the combined Auckland and Addington venues.
Perissa kicked off the novelty Pick6, followed by Kowhai Monarch, who recovered from a safe but cautious opening 300m to notch a maiden trot win when driven by her trainer in the TVH Parts Trot at Auckland.
Kowhai Monarch, a Monarchy half-brother to three-win trot mare Kowhai Sunrise, and other good winners in Kowhai Whiz (five wins), McCready two) and the Drunken Drummer (four), improved wide with cover to dispute the pace in the open beginning the final 800m.
He maintained a strong run to win by a length in 2:58.4 for the stand start 2200m.
The stable racked up a hat-trick of quick wins when Expresso Martini was finally rewarded for a consistent formline in the C1 Tyre General Mobile Pace at Addington.
The Met Eight Syndicate-owned pacer enjoyed a saloon run through from the back row to land a one out one back sit.
Left parked at the 900m when Stunin Dude pressed to the top, he rallied gamely for driver Blair Orange.
Expresso Martini kept kicking to score by a head from Hunter Bromac, and outsider It’s All Over Now.
The Bettor’s Delight-Putting On The Glitz gelding rated 1:58.6 for the mobile 1950m, the leaders running their last 800m in 59.7s and final 400m in 28.5s.
The winning treble moved Mark to 64 training wins for the season and fourth on the national table, the same role he filled last term.
By Jeff Scott