ITZ BILLY HILLIS SOLD TO MELBOURNE INTERESTS
Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones has sold promising 3YO qualifier Itz Billy Hillis to Melbourne interests.
The Bettor’s Delight colt is closely-rated to three time Group One-winning Australian filly Itz Nosurprisesthere, and last season’s smart 3YO Itz Bettor To Win, other recent notables bearing the “Itz” prefix, bred by Bob and Norma McMeeking.
Itz Billy Hillis, a 3YO Bettor’s Delight colt, sold out of the Mark Jones stable to race in Victoria.
“We got good money for him and it is too hard to earn in New Zealand,” Mark said.
Itz Billy Hillis qualified in front on a slushy track over 2600m at Rangiora on September 23, holding by 2 1/2 lengths in 3:29.5.
A week earlier on a fast track at the Rangiora workouts, Itz Billy Hillis led up and cleared out by 4 1/2 lengths over his last 800m in 56.2s and final 400m in 27.3s.
He’s bred to be win races, being a brother to Itz Dreamin Jonesy (1:55.1, Aust), being from an unraced Christian Cullen mare in Itz Got The Giggles, a daughter of Itz In The Blood (Butler BG-Itz Magic, TT, 1:55.6, four wins).
The family has bred on with Itz Queen Of Newyork, a New York Motoring mare from Itz Regal, a half-sister by Clever Innocence to Itz Magic, leaving Itz Nosurprisesthere (1:58, six win from 15 starts for $A216,900).
After being developed by Mark Jones, Itznosurprisesthere was on-sold to Australia to maximise her earning potential after being unluckily born in the same season as NZ champion Adore Me, last year’s NZ Cup winner and Australasia’s fasest pacer with her 1:47.7 mile at Menangle.
Itznosurprisesthere made her mark in Australia, winning the NSW Oaks, the Tasmanian Oaks and the Queensland Oaks.
The daughter of McArdle is a half-sister to Itz Cherry Ripe (1:51.4, US) and half-brother to Itz The Promised One (1:59.3, seven wins & $A39,736).
Itz All About Me, a lightly-raced Courage Under Fire race-winning half-sister to Itz Cherry Ripe and Itznosurprisesthere, has gained notoriety as the dam of Itz Bettor To Win, a debut winner of the Group Three Alabar NZ Kindergarten Stakes at two in 1:54.3 (1609m) and now the winner of six of 12 starts for $92,475.
Itz Bettor To Win, a Bettor’s Delight entire developed by Mark Jones before being sold unraced to the Allstars stable, also scored a Group Two win in the $45,625 Alabar Classic for 3YOs at Auckland last December, and ran fourth to top stablemate Have Faith In Me in the Group One New Zealand Derby at Addington when last racing on March 27.
By Jeff Scott