20 July 2018
PARKES PREVIEW | MICHAEL DUMESNY
FRESH from creating history Coleambally reinsman Blake Jones is hoping to continue his scintillating form at Parkes on Sunday.
Just 10 days ago, the popular freelance driver set a new career highlight when he guided six pacers to victory on an eight-race program at Leeton.
He became just the fourth driver in New South Wales to achieve this feat.
And no other driver in the history of the sport has won more than six races at the one meeting before.
Jones currently sits fifth on the NSW Drivers’ Premiership with 92 winners and is hopeful of cracking 100 winners by the end of the season.
Added to his impressive tally of winners is 104 minor placings and almost half a million dollars in prizemoney won.
And it has been hard work that has seen Jones get these results as he and his partner Ellen Bartley cover plenty of miles to ensure they place their horses well and can be regularly seen racing as far north as Dubbo and south into Victoria.
Bartley currently trains a strong team of pacers from her Riverina base and is assisted by Jones when he is not competing at race meetings.
She is enjoying a strong season as a trainer with a select team of horses that includes eight three-year-olds.
This has been the catalyst for Bartley to travel with her team in order to split them up so that Jones can drive them all.
On Sunday afternoon Jones and Bartley will make the four-hour trip to Parkes with three runners engaged.
And Jones believes all three runners will be more than competitive.
Bustin Feelz Good appears to be their best winning chance in race five, the Garrards Rio Meteor Pace (1660m).
Jones expects to be able to ping the gates and lead and if that happens he predicts that the three-year-old can reel off fast sectionals and be hard to catch around the tight Parkes circuit.
“He has high speed and I will be going forward on him. He led at Leeton last time out and rated 1:58.7 so if he can repeat that effort I expect him to win,” Jones said.
Back In The Day is a new addition to the stable and she will contest the Parkes Leagues Club 3YO Fillies Pace (2040m), coming off some sound city form that includes a last start third at Penrith where she was beaten by eight metres in 1:59.1.
Jones and Bartley’s third runner is Mozzarella in race three and she will need luck from her barrier seven draw but was an Albury winner on June 23.
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 33 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by a Board of Directors and is independent of Government.
Media contact:
AMANDA RANDO | MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
(02) 9722 6600 • arando@hrnsw.com.au • @Amanda_Rando