By Mike Love
Yaldhurst trainers Derek and Adele Jones continued to have success with their team after Kiss The Girls was a very impressive winner in yesterday’s Cavalier Trotting Products Akaroa Cup at Motukarara.
In what were dramatic events before the race got underway – with two false starts and the late scratching of Ted’s Legacy with his trainer and driver Jim Curtin being injured – Kiss The Girls made two fliers from those false starts before scrambling away when it mattered to settle six back on the fence. Driver Kimberly Butt then sat patiently for the metres to tick by before working into the clear at the top of the straight and producing a barnstorming run to knock off pacemaker Still Rockin.
Co-trainer Adele Jones could not be happier with the outcome.
“It was great. We didn’t actually think we’d won!” said Jones.
“At home he begins like a rocket. Derek said to Kim if he bobbles away just push him through and he’ll come down. She couldn’t pull him up after the false starts – so he’s probably run 3200m.”
The win was the eight-year-old gelding’s seventh career victory and his second on the track after winning at the Akaroa meeting back in 2020.
“He’s been working the house down at home.”
It was Kiss The Girls’ third run back this campaign with a luckless fresh up run and then not handling the bog at Methven last week. Jones was a little unsure how things were going to pan out yesterday.
“He didn’t handle the track at all last week. But they needed the run. I was a bit unsure about starting but Derek said he’d be okay and he was!”
Kiss The Girls was bred by Derek, Adele and their daughter Chelsea who all remain in the ownership along with Cath Ironside.
“We all owned George’s (Kiss The Girls) mum Duarunner. We sent her to Terror To Love, and we gave Cath Ironside a share – she helps us out a lot!”
Kiss The Girls’ racing career was in jeopardy a couple of years ago when he was injured, making yesterday’s victory a very satisfying one with his previous victory being in May 2022.
“He broke a splint bone. It set him right back and took him a long time to get his confidence back. We were just using him as a GP (galloping pacemaker). He didn’t like being on holiday so we brought him back once he was right. He loves galloping and trying to beat Eurostyle in work. He’s just loving the work.”
To date this is the Jones’ best season on record tallying eight winners so far.
“We’ve got some really nice horses around us at the moment. Lavra Rose has been a bit of a surprise. She’s a typical Bettor’s Delight that grows a leg on race day. (We also have) Muscle Sass, Eurostyle and a young two year old trotter who should be stepping out at the trials or workouts this week or next.”
Kiss The Girls gave Kimberly Butt a driving double on the day with her other victory being To Ri Ruby in a fresh state for Simon Adlam. The driver-trainer combo of Mia Holbrough and Bruce Negus also had a double (Mouton Cadet and Folijon Star) while Blair Orange also picked up a driving double (Tribbiani and Quicker Than Quick).
