By Michael Guerin
Mark Jones knows how important winning the McMillan Equine Feeds New Zealand Junior Drivers’ Championships is.
So the winner of the series way back the year 2000 at the peak of his junior days is happy to be supporting this year’s edition with two trotters in the same heat at Addington tonight.
The series moves to Addington for two heats tonight after starting with two at Cambridge last night, won by Olivia Thornley (Benson Dude) and Zed Meredith (Faith In Manchester).
Jones has Meandad (R7, No.7) and Bullit Train (No.8) in tonight’s trot heat and they have picked up good drivers in Emily Johnson and Sam Thornley respectively.
“It is a special time for these young drivers and something they aim at all season,” says Jones.
“So I am happy to have horses in the heat and I actually had three in but What The Bell, who may have been my best chance, was balloted out.
“But if he doesn’t get in then Bullit Train will be the better hope of my two.”
“He gets Sam Thornley and I like him as a driver. He is getting better all the time and he is also honest enough to say when he has made a mistake and learn from it.
Jones will send his stable’s most unlikely trotting star in Rush to Invercargill on Sunday for the $40,000 Dark Horse Trot.
“The way she is racing she will give herself a chance but the Williamson trotters will be hard to beat down there, as they should be in a $40,000 race.”
Jones also expects Tact McLeod, who has been the caretaker trainer for, to improve on his unplaced run at Addington last Friday when he contests the main pace, the Fahey Fence Hire Handicap Pace (8.57pm) this Friday.
“It was (caretaker) trainer error last week. I was too easy on him and had him too soft.
“He will be better this week but Sooner The Better will be hard to beat.”
Tonight’s other McMillan Equine Feeds Championships heat (6.12pm) has Better Be Sharp as the $3.30 opening favourite second up back from a spell for Crystal Hackett in a very even field.
Points for the McMillan Equine Feeds NZ Junior Drivers’ Championships (after 2 heats) :
Zev Meredith 26
Olivia Thornley 24
Monika Ranger 20
Seth Hill 15
Wilson House 14
Carter Dalgety 14
Max Hill 13
Riley Harrison 12
Kerryn Tomlinson 12
Emily Johnson 12
Crystal Hackett 9
Sam Thornley 4
