Two confident John Dunn drives netted perfect results in two of the big races at Addington on Friday night.
Dunn grabbed the Premier Mares Championship with Better Be Amazed and also took home the Summer Cup with Captain Dolmio.
North Island visitor, Better Be Amazed – who is trained by Steve Telfer and Chris Garlick – picked up a much deserved big race win after producing so many great efforts in similar races during her career.
“She deserves it,” Dunn said. “She just keeps going.”
Dunn worked around the field during the mid stages and held too many guns for C A Penny and the pace-making, Ultimate Desire who filled the minor placings.
Earlier in the night though Captain Dolmio announced himself as a future open class star with his front-running effort to win the Summer Cup.
The Southland owned pacer ran a hot field into the dirt and will now be pointed at the Easter Cup.
“He’s got a great heart, and he did that all tonight with a bandage hanging round his legs.
“The two miles of the Easter Cup should really suit him too.”
Dunn was also over the moon with the effort of Alta Orlando who flew home late for fourth.
The stable also picked up a win with Letspendanitetogetha who helped extend the Robert Dunn lead on the trainers’ premiership.
Mark Jones had double the reason to smile following the night’s feature trot.
Jones trained the winner, Eyre I Come, but also took great satisfaction out of the performance of Master Lavros, who was mighty in defeat with his effort for third.
The Burnham horseman refused to let the performance of his star trotter stand in the way of Eyre I Come’s effort though.
“I’m rapt for Grant Hatton, he’s just in love with the horse,” Jones said.
“And it’s been a testing one for him, because we’ve been told by more than one person that he would never race again.
“The ability has always been there, he’s just had some bad luck with injuries, both of his knees are buggered.”
Eyre I Come looked the goods a few years back when he produced a stunning performance to win on Cup Day but that’s when the bad luck started.
He will now head towards Auckland and a shot at the Group One double of the ANZAC Cup and the Rowe Cup.
Master Lavros will be there too.
“He will probably have 10 days off now and then come back for Auckland, I was very happy with him tonight.”
Master Lavros was attacked throughout the race by Marcoola, but kept fighting strongly, going down for second narrowly to Everybody Knows who split the Jones pair.
Spanish Armada made light work of her $146,000 assignment in the opening race of the night – NZ Yearling Sales 3YO Fillies Final.
The Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen trained filly, who was driven by Rasmussen, led from arch-rival Delightful Memphis and showed all her class to win comfortably.
“She’ll be on a plane to Auckland this week,” Rasmussen said.
“I’m really happy with her at the moment.”
Spanish Armada has now won 10 of her 13 career starts and picked up more than $540,000 in stakes.
Matt Markham