Joany Baby proves bargain buy for O'Connells

By Jonny Turner 

The more Joany Baby looks like a bargain buy, the more joy she brings to the O'Connell family.

The Waikouaiti trotter put win number five next to her name when chiming in late to take out the Cox Family Mobile Trot at Winton last week.

The victory took Joany Baby's career earnings past $55,000 – more than 55 times her purchase price at the 2022 National Weanling Sale at Karaka.

The mare was secured for just $1000 by Bruce Negus, who soon sent her further south to brother-in-law Denis O'Connell.

O'Connell admitted Joany Baby hasn’t always looked like the bargain she has turned into.

"Early on I thought she might be able to win a couple of races," the Waikouaiti owner-trainer said.

"But she keeps surprising us, she's improved along the way."

O'Connell races Joany Baby with a big group of his family, including his sister Colleen Negus.

"The family is getting a lot of enjoyment out of her and every time she does well we hear from everyone,” O’Connell said.

Joany Baby overcame two scratchy starts from behind the mobile in her prior two starts when winning at Winton.

The mare managed to keep her cool behind the gate with the help of driver Blair Orange.

"We put her on the unruly which helped her."

"Blair drove her beautifully, the leaders were going fast but she was able to get a nice run in behind them and show a nice bit of speed.”

Joany Baby can add plenty more to her bankroll at this month's Winter Rewards Final at Winton.

Before then, the mare will line up alongside her stablemate Aveross Majesty at Ascot Park on Sunday.

Joany Baby is one of three New Zealand winners for her sire Speeding Spur.

Another is The Will, who was also purchased by Negus at the 2022 National Weanling Sale.

The trotter is also starting at Ascot Park on Sunday from the Matthew Williamson stable.

Negus races the four-year-old with Charlotte Williamson.

Like Joany Baby and The Will, Monkee Major, Ridge and See No Evil are also winners out of the group of weanlings Negus purchased at Karaka in 2022.