Willison heads strong Jones' presence at Gore

by Jonny Turner

Mark Jones had every reason to load the truck up and head to Gore today.

The right kind of races await the four-horse team Jones takes south for the re-opening of the Gore all-weather surface.

Among them is Willison who looks to get a royal winning shot in race 10.

The pacer heads south after taking on harder grades at Addington, slotting down in company thanks to driver Ollie Kite’s junior claim.

“I’d say Willison is my best winning chance,” Jones said.

“He should be very hard to beat in a race like that.”

“He has been racing handy enough horses at Addington and going pretty good races.”

“He can do work if he has to, he can stay a bit, so he can make his own luck.”

Jones takes two two-year-olds south in Minos and Bettor Way, who step out in race 3.

Though Minos looks to have trialled slightly better than his stablemate, their recent work suggests they are very evenly matched.

“It looks a very even field and I wouldn’t be surprised if any horse in it won,” Jones said.

“My two are a notch below the top-liners but they are nice horses and it is worth the trip to come down for a race like this.”

“Minos has probably trialled slightly better than the other horse, but Bettor Way has improved in the last week or so.”

“If I had to pick one I would probably have to lean slightly towards Bettor Way with the way he has been working.”

Rosie Richter starts the day at Gore for the Jones team when stepping out in race 1.

The three-year-old has been taking on 11 and 12-horse fields recently and today she meets just five other runners.

“She got too far back at Motukarara, the 1700m should suit her and she looks a good chance of finishing in the top three.”

Gemma Thornley takes the reins behind Rosie Richter.

Thornely and Kite are among the junior drivers taking key drives at the Gore meeting.

As well as driving Willison, Kite takes the reins behind Durrant who looks like a huge eachway and top-four threat in race 8

The pacer charged home from last in his last start fourth at Ascot Park and he looks better suited to the longer Gore straight.

Junior driver Max Hill links up with a huge winning chance in Netherton Franco.

The mare kept running on in her fresh-up second at Ascot Park over 1700m.

Stepping out over 2200m looks ideal for the Craig Ferguson trained pacer today.

Sarah O’Reilly looks another junior driver to follow, especially when she teams up with Aveross Majesty.

Gore Key Bets :

Race 4 – The Wulver – Top 3/4
Race 5 – Netherton Franco – Win
Race 8 – Durrant – E/W or Top 3/4
Race 10 – Willison – Win