Mark summed up the Dominion Handicap (and maybe the weather forecast) and put Blair down to drive Oscar Bonavena in the NZ Trotting Free for All on Friday.It was a prelude to the gradual ending to one of the great
“Given myself the sack” was his response -but for a variety of reasons.
“Part of it is that I haven’t been doing that much driving and it is not a game you want to be away from very long if you want to keep sharp. I felt that was a factor in the Dominion.
But I also want to take a step back from driving and I will be doing it even less in the future,so it makes sense to leave it to the experts”
Mark is spending time between north and south and had been training a small team in the north though with an upcoming carnival in Auckland he will still be well involved.
But the driving career, which spans 1737 wins just in New Zealand and $40m in stakes is now a part time occupation.
Some would be staying around for 2000 winners but Mark has never been a statistically minded horseman when it comes to personal milestones-perhaps one of the secrets of his success.Acquiring Group One races has always been the focus.
Above all the realist he felt he had made an error which affected Oscar Bonavena’s chances in the Dominion though he would only have improved one place to second as he acknowledges being a great fan of Just Believe.
“I was getting a good run then Blair came out (on Mystic Max) and another one came out and it all went wrong.I should have gone inside when Blair moved as it was a quick series of events which held us up.He went a terrific race”
“So I named Blair to do the job on Friday and you don’t get many better. I also looked at the weather forecast !”
Apart from that -and Oscar lost no caste in defeat- it was a proud day for Mark as father and co-trainer with Nathan.
“It was a great day for us really and Nath deserved a lot of the credit.We didn’s have a glamour team like some in the past yet they performed right up to their best. That was important to me”
Getting 2nd and 3rd in a G1 juvenile meant more than usual for the above reasons but Mark’s drivng skills were evident with Demon Blue running home well after every chance.
“I thought he was going to win at the turn he was travelling so well and he kept going well”
Look To Da Stars has a nasty gate in his Slot Event ,Mr Kaplan will be improved but is up against star;Vessem is likely to win the last given his chance and Oscar-well he will be suited by the sprint trp and a better gate than Tuesday.
Mark, whose veterinarian partner,Barbara, has been on a working holiday in the south completing an annual Cup week surgical visit,returns north on Sunday but a team will soon be following headed for Auckland.Meanwhile Nathan will continue showing he has the ultimate trainer’s gift-having them right on the day.