Mark rates Luvstruck as “ready to win and hard to beat” at Addington Thursday.
He takes the drives for two of the stable’s longest standing patrons, Jean Feiss; and the “Spankem Partnership” of Messrs and Mesdames Phil and Glenys Kennard, Ann and Jim Gibbs,Gary and Keryn Woodham and,through the Breckon Syndicate, Ken and Karen Breckon, who race Luvstruck and who scored their most recent success in the Oamaru Juvenile Stakes with Major Hot last Sunday.
Nathan returned Monday morning for a spell back managing the harness team before returning to Australia but Mark handles two of the three horse team in tomorrow and was at the trials with them last week.
The winner of two of nine starts,Luvstruck has raced at the highest level and seems well placed in this R52 limit with her R51 rating.
“The trial was enough to suggest she is close to winning one and she should be hard to beat. We will need some luck from the gate though.”
Luvstruck is a daughter of the Breeder’s Crown placegetter Linda Lovegrace,who was also raced by the Spankem Syndicate,
In the previous two year old filly heat, Mark takes the drive on Madrid over Waterfront who will be handled by her usual driver,Blair Orange.
“I would say from the gate she has the better chance. That is mainly because she has had a bit more of a leadup than Waterfront and ha tough draw in an inexperienced field.But there is not a lot in it.They are both nice fillies who will benefit from the run”
Madrid is raced by Jean Feiss (pictured) who had the bad luck to lose a start with Sherlock in the $150,000 Vicbred Final on Saturday with a foot abscess bursting not long before the race.Jean has bought other foals from the broodmare Georgia Brooke the first,Bollinger,reaching the best company. A brother to him cost $65,000 and Madrid fetched $50,000, a sum it looks like she will repay fairly quickly.
Waterfront a $45,000 purchase by All Stars was a $2.60 shot on debut at Ashburton in June being run down on the way home and she was placed to race rival Always B Me in her trial this month.
Mark added that Anything Goes did all he was expected in the Hannon Memorial.
“He was unlucky getting a run in the straight but he did everything right and showed he is right up to that class”
The “A team” of Self Assured and Akuta will return to racing next week.