The return of La Rosa

Harness racing mare La Rosa (Bettor’s Delight) missed most of her four year old season due to having a fetlock operation and a bone chip procedure but she returns to racing on Friday night (Mar. 31) at Addington.

“When she was in Auckland she also had a quarter crack so she’s finally over all those things hopefully,” trainer Mark Jones said.

He says La Rosa is in good order but warns punters that she’ll need racing and that her long term future is in Australia. 

“She’s probably only eighty to ninety percent but this is the best she’s come up since her three year old year. She weighs just on five hundred kgs, so she’s got a bit to lose. In the next couple of months she should have a pretty good time.” 

Jones says because of lack of racing for mares of her calibre La Rosa is booked to go to Australia on April 23rd.

“She’ll have a couple of races before then, then she’s off to Jack Trainor’s. HRNZ don’t look after mares in New Zealand that well, so we’ve got no choice really.” 

She’s had two trials to ready her for Friday’s race, finishing fourth in the first one before winning her second a week ago.

“The first one was okay and the second one was better. She’ll still need a few runs (races) but she’s heading in the right direction.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink