Ripples has come on from Ashburton win
Garrick Knight - Raceform • November 13th, 2025 4:47 PM • 4 min read
Mark Jones is working on the theory that Ripples, a last-start winner, will be much improved when she chases Group One glory at Addington on Friday.
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The Burnham horseman was caught off guard when the daughter of Bettor’s Delight won the final heat of the Sires Stakes Series for two-year-old fillies at Ashburton on Labour Weekend.
“I was surprised by her good win at Ashburton, because I wasn’t too happy with her leading up to it,” he told RaceForm. “She was crook in her first start back from a spell but hadn’t really excited me after that.
“But it was the last chance to qualify her for this week’s Final, and I thought if we could sneak a place, then I knew I could have her a lot better by Show Day.”
Ripples was a decisive winner in the hands of new driver Jonny Cox, beating most of the opponents she meets in Friday’s $200,000 Dunstan Sires Stakes Series Final.“And since then, she’s been a hell of a lot better in her work at home.”
At the time of writing, the draws were not yet out for the final, but Jones was not too perturbed by where Ripples might land.
“One on the back row is probably the only draw I don’t want, because she can tough it out, and she’s got gate speed.
“Either way, we’ll be making it a stayers’ race as her stamina is her best asset.”
A win would cap a watershed week for her Sydney owner, Mick Harvey, whose bright yellow colours took out Tuesday’s New Zealand Trotting Cup with Kingsman.
Jones has a second runner in the race with Queen Lizzy likely to go out at a longer quote than her stablemate. She was fourth at Group One level at her last start, nearly two months ago in Auckland, the last leg of a frustratingly luckless northern campaign.“I had been a lot happier with her too, but I was disappointed with her trial at Addington the other day.
“I thought she should have finished it off a lot better, so there’s a little bit of a question mark over her heading into the race.
“She’s got speed and she can stay, and I don’t think it’s an especially great bunch of fillies, but you can’t be down on your best in a Group One. She can win, but she’ll need all favours.”
Jones expected to have a handful of other runners on the day, including Tokyo Rose in the Listed Bob McArdle Classic.“It wasn’t initially the plan with her, but the nominations were a bit light, so I think I’ll move her over to that.”
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