Inaugural Jasmyn’s Gift won by Pegasus Spur mare

It was great to see the harness racing trotting mares racing against each other at Oamaru today. A fairer match compared to the usual reality of being beaten up by the boys (male trotters).

A near capacity field highlighted the success of this concept and the Sam Smolenski trained I Dream Of Jeannie (Pegasus Spur) handled well by Mark Purdon took out the Group Three feature.

I DREAM OF JEANNIE REPLAY

“She just got the run to suit and was dragged into the race at the right time. Once she got round that last bend she went to the horse in front of her and put it beyond doubt,” Purdon said.

The winning margin was one and a half lengths over favourite Resolve.

This race is a first, and honours Jasmyn’s Gift, one of a handful of very good trotting mares to come out of the region.

Jasmyn’s Gift trained by Phil Williamson and owned by his wife Bev, won seventeen of her forty eight starts including the 2005 Group One New Zealand Trotting Championship and the Group One New Zealand Trotting Free For All.

Her win in the New Zealand Trotting Free For All gave Phil and Bev’s son Nathan his first Group One driving success.

For complete race results, click here.

By Bruce Stewart for Harnesslink