Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones is in the front on the new season trainers premiership after Sage Creek won his maiden at Forbury on Thursday_ Mark’s fourth winner after 15 days of the new term. However, he says he has no thoughts of trying to stay ahead of the bigger stables.
“We’ll just try and get a few wins before the big guns, Mark (Purdon) and Cran (Dalgety), come back,” he said.
Mark has placed the team to advantage, travelling south twice already.
Sage Creek is to be freshened after the Badlands Hanover gelding delivered at his third start in the Dunedin City Ford Pace on August 15.
The 3YO , given the run of the race on the outer by Blair Orange, did just enough to hold Midnight Mayhem, who rallied well after being held up in the trail on the home turn.
On Sunday, August 11, the stable notched the third win of the new term with promising 3YO colt Offtocullect as a hot $1.40 favourite at Invercargill.
“He’s having a week off. If he’s not sold, we’ll give him his chance in the Sires Stakes Series,” Mark said.
Offtocullect, who credited sire Gotta Go Cullect (Christian Cullen-Elect To Live) with his first siring win when successful on debut at Forbury in March, has now won two of three starts, and finished second to the unbeaten Locharburn in the other.
He was much too good for the maidens at Invercargill, improving wide from the 1400m to lead over the last 1000m.
Offtocullect won easing down from late finisher Jaccka Wilko by 1 1/4 lengths in a 2:01.9 rate for the 2200m, quickening over his last 800m in 58.3s and final 400m in 28s.
He was selected at an Auckland Weanling and All Age Sale, and on-sold to Wayne Higgs in February.
Electric Ollie, already a dual heat winner of the Bedworld _ Young At Heart Series at Addington this month, has returned in good touch for owners, the Butterworth Racing Syndicate.
“Its a good series (6YO or older, 1-3 wins lifetime),” Mark said.
Electric Ollie, a 6YO Washington VC gelding, is now the winner of five (four penalty-bearing) from 32 starts, for $23,511 in stakes.
Freelance driver Blair Orange has teamed up well with Electric Ollie for both heat wins.
“Ollie” rated 1:59.1 for the 2000m in the second heat at Addington on Friday, August 9.
After easing back to last from a wide gate, Electric Ollie swept up wide from the 1050m to take over from Thats Bettor and Simon Sivad with a bold move at the 600m.
He maintained a strong run to win with authority by 2 1/2 lengths, the leaders quickening over their last 800m in 57s and last 400m in 28.6s.