Deny Everything upsets in Timaru Cup

Deny Everything (A Rocknroll Dance) upset in today’s (Nov. 25) Tyre General Timaru Summer Cup at the Timaru Harness Racing Club meeting at the Phar Lap Raceway.

Given the perfect trip by driver Sam Ottley, the Mark Jones trained seven year old came off the back of leader Heisenberg (Art Major) to get up and win by a length and a quarter from Tanzania (Rock N Roll Heaven) with Heisenberg a nose back in third.

“It was a big advantage to get back onto the front line, especially with his great manners. Being able to ping away like he can was the winning of the race and he put himself in the right spot. The track was leader bias and you have to be handy because if you’re back and wide on that bend you’re a no show,” Ottley said.

Rather than running up the passing lane, Ottley decided to come off Heisenberg’s back.

“Johnny (Dunn) had the field strung out a bit. I knew I had either option to go inside or out. The horse felt comfortable coming out and he hit the line strong.”

Raced by Damion Love and the estate of N.W. Love the win was Deny Everything’s seventh from a career that’s been disrupted by a number of wind operations and injuries.

“You’ve got to take your hat off to Damion for being so patient. He’s a great owner and deserves anything he gets. The horse got crook at Kaikoura, and we had to scratch him so it was pleasing to get a win today for everyone involved.”

Between September and October 2021 Deny Everything went on a four start winning streak and he looked to be a horse going places.

“When we first started with him he was so big and raw and he was always a nice horse. Then he started winning them in a row and he beat some pretty nice horses. When he won his last race (in that sequence) he beat some pretty nice ones of Purdons. Unfortunately I think we’ll never see what he could have been because of issues.”

Deny Everything paid $32.00 to win and Ottley has now won on the horse six times. It was her 699^th win.

“He’s a day to day horse so we’ll make the most of today and enjoy it.”

Meanwhile Major Hot (Art Major) was put to the test before eventually winning the Brosnan Transport Limited Timaru Nursery Stakes.

Debutant Dawson (Sweet Lou) led from the start before driver Blair Orange took Major Hot up to sit parked and in the tough slog to the finish line, Major Hot got in the deciding stride to win by a head.

Major Hot was bred by Breckon Farms and is a half-brother to Hot And Treacherous (Captaintreacherous). Breckon Farms race the gelding with Glenis and Phil Kennard, Jim and Ann Gibbs and Gary and Keri Woodham.

It was only the horse’s second win but he’s recorded seven placings in his thirteen starts, including a third in the Woodlands Stud Sires Stake Final won by Chase A Dream (Captaintreacherous). With the withdrawal of Vessem (Vincent), Chase A Dream and Cold Chisel (Always B Miki) he’s now the top qualifier in the $110,000 G1 Ace Of Spades to be raced at Addington in a fortnight.

The win by Major Hot was one of five for Orange who also won on Whispering Over (Creatine), Shepherds Delight (Sky Major), Dalness Arizona (Ohoka Arizona) and Idle Stuartia (Superfast Stuart).

Five wins in a day is not a record for Orange. Twice he’s driven six winners at the Manawatu Raceway; in December 2018 and February 2019.

Today’s win was Dalness Arizona’s second. His last was at Invercargill in April 2019 when at that time he was trained by Shannon Armour.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink