By MICHAEL GUERIN
Northern harness racing fans could be in for a treat this season - a regular showdown between New Zealand's two leading reinsmen.
That is the possibility raised by the ambitious plans of newly crowned national driving champion Mark Jones.
The 22-year-old Cantabrian became the youngest ever winner of the premiership when he passed a suspended Tony Herlihy on the last night of the season two weeks ago.
That was the highlight of Jones's short career but he says he wants to defend his title and is willing to travel to do so.
"I want to drive at Alexandra Park as often as possible this season," said Jones.
"To win the premiership again I know I am going to have to travel and while we have good races in Southland and Otago, Alexandra Park provides the best racing in New Zealand.
"Obviously I will be driving in Canterbury as a first priority but I would love to link up with a big stable in the north and maybe drive at 30 or so meetings up there."
That could provide a betting bonanza for northern clubs as Jones late-season premiership chase' helped boost winter turnovers last month as well as further bolstering the incredibly strong Alexandra Park driving ranks headed by Herlihy and dripping with class reinsmen from South Auckland and the Waikato.
Jones says without extensive travel he won't be able to defend his title.
"We all know I wouldn't have won it last season if Tony hadn't been suspended so it is not just a matter of going through the motions and winning again.
"I am still only young and don't have a family to look after yet so I might as well take the chance to chase the drives when I can."
Jones may look at a sponsorship deal to reduce his travel costs but says if he can land a regular driving commitment from a major stable the process would prove lucrative regardless.
Jones started this season as he finished the last, with two wins at Oamaru on Sunday, including Smooth Trickster's New Zealand record performance over 2600m which graduated him to open class.
"That is a good one to get under our belts because we now have an open class horse for the New Zealand Cup."
Smooth Trickster's trainer Cran Dalgety is also hoping to qualify Critical Judge for the New Zealand Cup. The latter is class nine and well capable of picking up that extra win while racing in Victoria.
That is where Jones will drive tomorrow night when he partners Sparks Are Flyin in the $A50,000 Breeders Crown at Moonee Valley.
While Sparks Are Flyin is now a four-year-old in New Zealand, she is still three in Australia as their harness racing season does not start until September 1.
Sparks Are Flyin is rated a $1.80 favourite for the Crown from her second line draw after an easy heat win on Monday.
"While winning the premiership was great I still have to concentrate on getting more big race drives and winning some big ones,"said Jones in career-planning mode.
And part of that plan is driving his 1000th winner before his 30th birthday, which will require him todrive around 100 winners a year for the next seven seasons.
"The 1000 win club is pretty special and want my name next to those guys.
"And I know I'll never get there but I would love to have a crack at Maurice McKendry's record for wins in a season of 163.
"That is probably a bit unrealistic but you have got to have goals."
That is one thing Jones is definitely not short of.
Racing: Jones looks to 1000 club
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.