By MICHAEL GUERIN
Mark Jones is not going to let his dream disappear without a fight.
The champion junior driver would appear to have little left to achieve in the first phase of his career; having already won a national junior driving title and this season smashing the record for wins by a New Zealand junior.
The old mark was 60, Jones has now reined 88 winner for the season.
But even though his incredible season has taken him to second on the national open premiership it is not enough.
Jones wants a shot at becoming the first junior driver to land 100 wins in a season.
That means driving a winner at each of the 12 remaining meetings this season. The only problem is, six are in the North Island.
"But I don't want to end the season wondering what might have been," said Jones.
"I will never get a shot at driving 100 wins as a junior again so I am going to give it everything."
Jones spent yesterday contacting northern trainers trying to make a trip to Alexandra Park on Thursday night worthwhile and is prepared to do the same for the Cambridge meeting on Sunday.
"I am hoping the trainers will get behind me. I realise most of them have regular drivers but with drivers sometimes having two of three horses clashing in the same race that could leave me opportunities to pick up a few more drives.
"I know because of the travel there really isn't any money in chasing the 100 wins but it might be a long time before any other junior driver gets a crack at it."
The 21-year-old is in outstanding form, having reined five winners since Friday.
He also leads the New Zealand Junior Drivers Championships, which are at the halfway stage after heats at Cambridge and Alexandra Park last week.
He has eight points, one clear of Blair Orange and Gene Robb.
The final two heats will be held at Addington on July 6.
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The handicapper faced his toughest test of the season yesterday.
Just what sort of discretionary handicap do you give a class nine pacer who has won six races this season - as a trotter?
That was the sticky question posed when Bold Kamwood, one of the trotting finds of the season, was entered as a pacer for Thursday night's Alexandra Park meeting.
With no race for class four and faster trotters, trainer Dianne Wood has reverted Bold Kamwood to pacing, just six days after he started second favourite in the feature trot at The Park.
Not that Bold Kamwood is any slug as a pacer. He was one of the more talented 4-year-old pacers of his year, contested last season's Interdominions and is class nine, so victory on Thursday would make him eligible for the New Zealand Cup.
The gelding should have few problems gaining the two wins needed to become an open class trotter once he returns to squaregaiting so has a chance of joining the rare band of horses to reach open class in both gaits.
The last was Mid Canterbury pacer Strietross, who won his way through to open class trotting after a handy career as an open class pacer.
But the achievements of both horses pale compared with 1930s freak Wrackler.
He won the 1930 New Zealand Cup off a 12-yard handciap as a pacer - when it was run as a heat and final - and the 1932 Dominion Handicap as a trotter coming off a 60-yard handicap.
Makes Bold Kamwood's 35m handicap in the class three pace on Thursday look pretty fair.
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While Bold Kamwood will be trying to achieve something special on Thursday he will have to excuse punters for being a little too busy to notice.
Because the meeting will play host to a $250,000 Pick Six.
The TAB are obviously hoping to start a massive winter jackpot rolling with the $250,000 kickstart.
And they could hardly have picked a better meeting, with six even fields being carded for Thursday's Pick Six races.
Twice in the last two weeks Pick Six has only been struck by one ticket and a jackpot this week could see punters chasing $500,000 a week later.
The TAB is expected to start at least one Friday night Pick Six next month with a $250,000 pool so harness punters definitely have something to look forward to.
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Trainers with horses in the final two feature races of the season also have something to look forward to.
The Sires Stakes Board has announced stake increases for their two upcoming features.
The PGG Northern Hemisphere Time Final on July 7 will now be worth $70,000 while the PGG Yearling Sales Trot on July 14 will be worth $50,000.
Both races have already attracted southern contenders to Alexandra Park as they prepare for the features.
Racing: Junior determined to keep dream of a ton alive
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