By Jonny Turner
From pacers to gallopers, from Christchurch to Cromwell, Mark Jones was training winners all over the South Island last weekend.
Jones’ winning run started at Addington on Friday night when his star mare Stylish Memphis returned to her best by reeling off sizzling sectionals to score.
The trainer then produced Selsey Bill in conditions far from sizzling – on a wet track as the rain came down at Geraldine.
On Sunday, Jones enjoyed more success with Southern Storm winning at Addington before his thoroughbred Phelan The Power also won at Cromwell.
Though in the galloping code, Phelan The Power has a harness racing connection.
Northern trainer Scott Phelan races the four-year-old with group of owners including his partner Emma Anderson and father, Frank.
Jones didn’t make it to Cromwell, having commitments at Addington where he produced Southern Storm for a deserved maiden victory.
“We actually had him sold, but the buyer pulled out so that was why he was scratched last week,” Jones said.
“He is an honest horse and he got the run today and got the job done.”
Samantha Ottley had Southern Storm in the trail for much of race 2 before angling him for his winning run along the passing lane.
There was no way Selsey Bill was going to be in the trail in his maiden win at Orari on Saturday.
Blair Orange was determined to hold the lead early in race 3 with the two-year-old.
Selsey Bill shrugged off his early work, with Orange rating him to perfection as he went on to a powerful maiden win in testing conditions.
“He hadn’t had to do that before, so it was good to see that he could do a bit of work and kick on.”
“It was a pretty good win.”
“He is doing pretty well considering his sire died ten years ago.”
Selsey Bill is one of the seven foals from the second last crop Falcon Seelster has left in New Zealand.
The stallion’s last crop is made up of three yearlings.
Jones’ winning run started at Addington on Friday night where Stylish Memphis returned to her best form.
The four-year-old didn’t show her true worth earlier this season, leading to her New Zealand Cup campaign being derailed and the reset button being pushed on her campaign.
Stylish Memphis showed she had put that well behind her when unleashing a smart last 800m split of 54.6 sec to win.
“She is going a lot better now than she was going earlier in the spring,” Jones said.
“We had a lot of issues with her and gave her a freshen up.”
“She has come back up really good.”
Stylish Memphis headed to Auckland soon after her win at Addington.
She will start in next month’s Northern Breeders Stakes and the Queen Of Hearts before returning to Sydney to defend her Ladyship Mile crown.
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