WINNING TREBLE AT NELSON MOVES SAM TO 30 FOR SEASON
A winning treble for Overport Lodge driver Samantha Ottley on the first day at Nelson on Friday, June 10, brought up 30 wins for the season.
The Harness Jewels 4YO Diamond-winning reinsman has continued her top Cambridge Jewels victory form behind Rocker Band from last Saturday.
Samantha Ottley, up to 30 wins for the season and 193 for her career.
Following on with a win behind fellow Overport runner Smoke N Fire at Ashburton on Monday, she notched a winning double with other Mark Jones-trained stablemates, Croft Bay and Kowhai Monarch, at Nelson.
For good measure, Sam also reined 43-to-one outsider Feel Real to victory for Kaiapoi trainer Glen Scott, finishing best with an inside run in a maiden pace.
She drove the Jones-trained Kowhai Monarch confidently in the C1 and faster Town & Country Vet Handicap Trot.
Sam improved the second favourite from the fourth line to pressure front-running favourite He’s Like The Wind from the 500m, with the latter, after being headed, breaking over the final 100m.
Kowhai Monarch, who appreciated an easier race after racing soundly in stronger Addington races, last month, won going away to notch his third win from 21 starts for owners John and Jill Hartnell.
Croft Bay notched back-to-back wins for the stable, taking out the C1 Reefton Trotting Club Pace.
Back early off after starting off the unruly, Sam sent him forward inside the last 1200m to range up three wide outside leaders Ildivo and Drovers Eyre over the last 800m.
Parked turning for home, the improving Lis Mara gelding toughed it out well to hold Ardent Lustre by a neck.
He will try and extend his record of three wins from nine starts for owner Simon Gilmore on the second day.
A solid brace of wins over the last week for the Mark Jones stable has moved Mark to 49 training wins for the season.