Big surprise in the Gold Tiara heats

Jones is now thinking about driving in the Bathurst Harness Racing Club’s Group 1 Gold Tiara final on Saturday night.

In the heats for the two-year-old fillies series last Friday night, Jones surprised not only punters, but himself as well when he steered $57.70 outsider Writeaboutjess to victory.

“I’m meant to be going to a mate’s wedding. I wasn’t over confident of making the final on any of them, so I’d RSVP’d and everything,” Jones said. “So I’ll be calling him … I think he’ll understand, he’s pretty good.”

Trained at Jindera by Lyn Hancock, two-year-old Sportswriter filly Writeaboutjess had one prior start before heading to Bathurst.

That race saw her break in the score up and she ended up tailing off on the final lap to finish last in a field of eight. That effort not only saw her at long odds for her 1,730 metres Gold Tiara heat, but given a barrier 10 draw.

Still, Jones was happy enough to jump in the gig after being offered the drive.

“I remember watching her first trial at Albury, I was pretty impressed with her and I thought they might have had a nice one. I got the phone call through the week to ask would I drive her because I was already down here to drive a couple of others,” he said.

“I was quite happy to jump on.”

Writeaboutjess’ rivals included the Michael Stanley trained and driven Desirable Stride, an impressive first-start winner who had drawn barrier one. She held $1.20 favouritism and Jones admitted he thought she would win.

Stanley guided the favourite to the lead and after she peeled off a 27.7 seconds third sectional and opened up a lead of some 10m, Jones’ hopes of victory faded even further.

But into the home straight the favourite tired and Writeaboutjess swooped down the outside to pinch victory by a short half head.

“As soon as the fields came out, in all honesty I didn’t think anything would beat the favourite given the way it went first up in Victoria. I thought we were just running for placings then,” Jones said.

“Even when I pulled out I thought it was a bit far ahead to catch, I thought maybe we could run into a place, but it was surprising we got there.

“She was a bit sort of funny early, she is still learning a bit, she’d only had the one race start. But once she settled in on the horse’s back, she drove pretty good after that.

“I didn’t think I was going to get there, then right on the line I thought I might have got in.”

By Anya Whitelaw

Reprinted with permission of The Central Western Daily