Ashburton undercard in review

Got The Chocolates (Art Major) once again turned the tables on arch rival Marketplace in today’s $30,000 Ashburton Three Year Old Showcase.

Driver John Dunn didn’t have the lightning gate speed of Marketplace or Rubira but he mustered enough speed to get handy, albeit in the parked position.

At the 600 metres Marketplace and Got The Chocolates cut away from the five other runners and went to war.

“At the 600 I gave him a wee chirp up and we were sprinting a long way from home. I’ve always said this guy’s got great cruising speed and he can maintain it for a long time,” Dunn said.

It took the Robert and Jenna Dunn trained three year old the length of the straight to master Marketplace and at the line there was three quarters of a length between the great rivals with Rubira three and a quarter lengths back in third.

“Unfortunately they’ve cross me again and I had to sit outside them. But he’s dug deep so he deserves it.”

GOT THE CHOCOLATES REPLAY

The winning time of 1-58.1 (mile rate of 1-51.7) was a new race, track and New Zealand record. The previous record of 1-59.2 was held by last year’s Showcase winner Dreams Are Free.

The last 800 was run in 57.6 and the  last 400 in 27.3.

Master driver Mark Purdon knew the Hayden and Amanda Cullen trained filly Arafura (Sweet Lou) was a good stayer and he drove her accordingly in the final heat of the Nevele R Fillies Series.

Not rushing her early, Purdon made a mid-race move and took the front off Duchess Of Kent.

“She’s a good stayer and it was the right time to go with her. And once she rolled to the front she was always going to take a lot of beating,” he said.

That’s the way the two favourites finished at the end of the 1700 metre trip with Arafura a neck in front of the southern filly.

“She really knuckles down and is a great trying filly. I always knew she was going to be tough to get past.”

ARAFURA REPLAY

The winning time was 2-01.1 (mile rate of 1-54.6) with the last 800 metres cut out in 56.8 and the last 400 in 27 seconds.

Francent (Vincent) trained by Mark Jones continued her rise up the mares’ rankings when she won the $60,000 Group Two Mid-Canterbury Trotting Owners Ladies’ Sprint.

Driver Sam Ottley took the four year old to the top with favourite Ruby Roe dropping in to trail. Halfway up the straight Ruby Roe looked the like the winner, but Francent fought back to win by a neck with Lakelsa finishing an unlucky third, a length and a half away.

FRANCENT REPLAY

“She’s just getting better and better. Gate speed is a wonderful thing and she’s certainly got plenty of that. I looked across and I just crossed them for fun and that was without hitting the real go button. It’s a big asset to have in these big races. She’s won a few races in front and she’s just so tough. Nat (Nathan Williamson driving Ruby Roe) dived through, headed her and then she got going again,” Ottley said.

Francent’s winning time was 2-00.8 (mile rate of 1-54.8).

While others made mistakes, Ya Rite Darl (What The Hill) trotted all the way in the $40,000 Group Three Hambletonian Three Year Old Classic.

Driver John Dunn rolled forward early and the three year old filly was too good and too well-mannered for her rivals.

“She was in season quite bad today but she’s got great manners and puts herself in a good position from the get go,” Dunn said.

YA RITE DARL REPLAY

This year was the 40^th running of the three year old trotting classic and fillies have a great record in the race, with fifteen having won the three year old feature.

The result was a great one for both the race day sponsors the Neumann family and Dunn, as they won the Hambletonian with Five Wise Men in 2021 and Valloria in 2018.

“It’s a great race to win because the Neumann family are great supporters of our stable.”

The winning time of 2-03.0 was a new track record, bettering Isolate’s 2023 time of 2-03.3.

Dunn says it’s now highly likely Ya Rite Darl will start in the $500,000 The Ascent on Show Day at Addington.

Ripples (Bettor’s Delight) trained at Burnham by Mark Jones put her hand up as a serious contender for the final when she won heat four of the Dunstan Two Year Old Fillies Series.

From gate five, driver Jonny Cox pushed her forward and soon had the top.

“Like in a lot of races you have to try and be handy. Obviously she’s done a lot of Aussie racing and she knows how to get out of the gate,” he said.

Ripples was challenged by Secret Wish in the back straight, but Cox was intent on staying where he was.

“She was half waiting on them and I had to click her up when Blair came round, but once she got back on the bit she did it pretty comfortably in the end. The last 100 was pretty easy.”

RIPPLES REPLAY

At the end of the 1700 metres Ripples had three quarters of a length to spare over Cath with a length and a half back to War Cry in third.

The winning time was 2-00.5 – a mile rate of 1-54.1 with the last 800 metres run in 56.5 and the last 400 in 28.6. The track and New Zealand record of 1-59.1 is held by Millwood Nike.

Freeze Frame (Bettor’s Delight) showed plenty of grit today when he won the $30,000 Woodlands Two Year Old Colts and Gelding Sires’ Stakes heat.

Coming up the straight the race looked to be between Zeus Lightning driven by Blair Orange and Fugitive handled by Carter Dalgety.

FREEZE FRAME REPLAY

“I thought Blair and Carter were too far away from us. I thought they were off and gone just when we were waiting for the gaps to come. Full credit to the wee fella, he got the gap. The long straight helped but he really dug in deep to pick them up from a long way off,” driver Kim Butt said after the Cran and Chrissie Dalgety trained colt booked his place for the final in two weeks time.

Butt was full of compliments for the Dalgety trained runner.

“You know when you jump on one from Cran and Chrissies they’re well-mannered and lovely to drive. I said to Carter after the line that he’s not allowed to swap now. We’ll see how that goes (laughter).”

The Nathan Williamson trained Clotilde Wainwright (Majestic Son) took out the R40 to R50 trot.

After being slow away she looped the field and went down to the line to win by three quarters of a length from favourite One Over Da Moon.

CLOTILDE WAINWRIGHT REPLAY

“She’s a highly strung wee girl. She’s got a good motor but she’s still learning the game. We’re taking her to the Cup meeting for the two mile trot on Cup Day which will probably suit her if she can bring her manners and she’s Harness 5000 eligible,” Williamson said.

The win was some compensation for the Southland trainer. He had to scratch Duchess Maria (Father Patrick) on Friday night and Captains Mistress (Captaintreacherous) from today’s Nevele R Fillies Heat.

It was discovered Duchess Maria had a minor foot issue but she’s expected to take her place on Show Day in the $120,000 IRT Sires’ Stakes Two Year Old Trotters Championship. Captains Mistress was scratched after experiencing tying up issues.

Her diet has been modified, and Williamson expects to run her at the Cup Day trial and then to start in the $500,000 The Velocity also on Show Day.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink