OVERPORT LODGE FILLIES TO DEBUT ON SUNDAY
Overport Lodge 2YO pacing fillies, I Get Around and Smoke N Fire, are straight into racing mode at Timaru on Sunday after placing at the Ashburton trials on Tuesday.
The stablemates will both start from the inside two barriers on the second row in a $25,000 Magness Benrow Sires Stakes Fillies Heat.
Ricky May is to drive Smoke N Fire, with Blair Orange engaged for I Get Around.
I Get Around stretches out for trainer Mark Jones behind winner MacKenzie at the Ashburton trials on Tuesday.
The race features only one to have raced, the Robert Dunn-trained Kotare Kasai, who ran second to Rakaporsche at Wyndham on February 1 in a 1:58.4 2YO fillies mile.
I Get Around, a Bettor’s Delight filly and the first foal from Runaround Rhonda (raceplaced half-sister by Artsplace to Saveapatrol), qualified at Ashburton on December 9 when second to Dame Puissant, clocking 2:00.7.
She led early from the two gate in Tuesday’s 2YO fillies mobile pace, trailed the Mark Purdon/Natalie Rasmussen-trained MacKenzie from the 1200m and fought solidly over the leaders last 800m in a smart 56.5s and final 400m in 26.8s.
The winner ran the heat in 1:59.8 with I Get Around a length back second in 2:00.
Smoke N Fire, a Courage Under Fire half-sister to the ill-fated Smoke N Santanna (1:58.4) and fellow two-race winner Smoke N Grin, qualified first-up in 2:03.3 (1609m).
The daughter of good racemare Smoke N Mirrors (10 wins & $189,675) ran second to the Allstars filly Northern Velocity, a Mach Three half-sister to top pacer Pembrook Benny (1:53.6), Pembrook Caesar (1:53, Aust) and the former Mark Jones-trained filly Holme Fire (five wins, 1:58.8), who held in 2:03.2, the last 800m in 58.6s and final 400m in 27.5s.
“They went good but Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen’s ones were a bit too good for us,” said trainer Mark Jones.
Other Allstars fillies in the second 2YO fillies heat in Arden’s Choice (Panspacific Flight half-sister to Bettor’s Strike) and Dream About Me (Bettor’s Delight half-sister to Christen Me and Hands Christian) will debut in Sunday’s Magness Benrow Heat.
Arden’s Choice, who qualified earlier in 1:59.1, wasn’t hurried to run fourth in MacKenzie’s heat, with Dream About Me, also not extended, finishing seventh, but qualifying by running 2:01.1.
Overport Lodge-trained maiden Richard Le Fort (3g Jereme’s Jet-Belle’s Girl), who qualified at Addington on February 2 in 2:32.4 (mobile 2000m), backed up in a fast maiden heat on Tuesday.
He trailed Regan Todd’s raceplaced maiden Sandvik Star (Robbie Close) but was unable to stay with Sandvik Star and another raceplaced maiden Royal Caroline, who drew out by 6 1/2 lengths in the run home.
Sandvik Star ran the mobile 2400m in a useful 2:59.9 (2:00.6 mile rate), the last 800m in 57.6s and final 400m in 28.9s.
TROT STABLEMATES HEAT NORTH
Overport Lodge squaregaiters, Eyre I Come and Charming Lavra, are Auckland-bound this week to try their luck in suitable handicap grade races at Auckland over the next few weeks.
Eyre I Come, a C3-assessed trotter good enough to win at Addington on New Zealand Cup day, while C1 3YO filly Charming Lavra has been placed at her last two grass track starts.
Both will be eligible for $20,000-stake trots at the Auckland Cup meeting.