Zachary Butcher salutes behind Sky Major who produced one of the best Jewels performances on record in 2014.
We crunch the numbers: Few good enough to win a Jewels unless they’re handy at the bell
By Barry Lichter • 1 June 2021
Statistics show if you want to win a Harness Jewels at Cambridge you need to be handy at the bell - or be driving something right out of the box.
In the 54 races run at Cambridge over six Jewels meetings, 42 winners (77.7%) have been either leading, parked, trailing or in the one-one with a lap to run.
On a track renowned for favouring the leader and trailer, 24 (44.4%) of the Cambridge Jewels races have been won from the front and six (11.1%) from the trail.
Seven horses (12.9%) have scored after being parked at the bell and five (9.25%) have come from the one out-one back possie.
Another five horses have prevailed after either being three fence or handy three wide a round from home but only seven horses have been good enough to come from well back.
Three of the biggest efforts were recorded at Cambridge in 2014 when Sky Major (13), Sheemon (13) and Franco Nelson (12) were among five horses to win from second row draws.
Sky Major looked up against it in the Three-Year-Old Emerald when he was four back on the outer at the bell and still had a lot of ground to make up when only fifth and forced four wide turning for home. But he came with a powerhouse finish for Zachary Butcher to reel in the leaders and win, going away, from Tiger Tara by three-quarters of a length in the fastest time of the day, 1:52. Sky Major is the only horse to have won a Jewels at two, three and four.
Sheemon’s run in the Four-Year-Old Ruby was also huge, three wide and three back at the bell and also pushed four wide round the home bend.
Franco Nelson ended the day on a spectacular note in the Four-Year-Old Emerald when he came from fourth last at the bell, sweeping up three wide at the 800, improving four wide down the back straight and getting up to nail Major Star a nose.
Most winners from five
The favouring of on-pace winners is reflected by the fact 32 of the 54 winners (59.2%) have drawn between gates one to five.
And, perhaps surprisingly, gate five has been the most successful with 10 winners.
Gates one, two and four have each had six winners.
No horses have won from barriers six or seven.
Gate nine, the inside of the second row that Krug faces in the Three-Year-Old Emerald on Sunday, has seen only three winners.
The connections of horses drawn two on the second row can be comforted by the fact gate 10 has produced five winners.
Eighteen horses (33.3%) have won after starting from the second row, a revealing stat given 38.4% of draws are on the second line, debunking the myth that the high numbers are necessarily a death sentence.
Where the winners have come from
Harness Jewels sponsor IRT’s Richard Cole with the new mobile at Addington Raceway. Good gate draws are a real boon at the Jewels.Winning barrier draws at Cambridge in the six runnings of the Jewels:
- Six times
- Six
- Four
- Six
- Ten - Most winners
- -
- -
- Four
- Three
- Five
- Three
- Three
- Four
Winning draws year by year
2018: 8, 3, 5, 12, 1, 5, 10, 1, 2
2016: 9, 5, 4, 8, 2, 12, 5, 1, 5
2014: 5, 4, 13, 4, 11, 13, 13, 4, 12
2012: 2, 2, 11, 3, 2, 9, 5, 2, 3
2010: 11, 3, 13, 5, 1, 10, 1, 9, 10
2008: 5, 8*, 1, 5, 10, 8, 4, 4, 10
Clues from the running
Check out where each Cambridge winner was at the bell, where they drew, and you’ll quickly see the pattern:
2018
Princess Tiffany (8): Eased to rear, mounted fast run three wide to seventh at bell, led 700.
Enhance Your Calm (3): Led.
Shez All Rock (5): Led.
Utmost Delight (12): Up handy three wide no cover at bell to park at 800.
Habibi Inta (1): Led.
Another Masterpiece (5): Led from 1200.
Eamon Maguire (10): Great run through to be one-one at bell.
Winterfell (1): Led.
Pat’s Delight (2): Led, trailed bell.
Samantha Ottley drove a pearler on Rocker Band to win in 2016 after being pushed back to four deep on the markers.2016
Rocker Band (9): Trailed, three fence bell, then four deep.
Custodian (5): Led.
Partyon (4): Led.
Monbet (8): One out, three back at bell, moved 800 to park at 600.
Picadilly Princess (2): Trailed bell.
More The Bettor (12): Ninth three wide, three back at bell then sent forward.
Donegal Bettorgretch (5): Parked bell.
Field Marshal (1): Led.
Heaven Rocks (5): Three wide to lead at bell.
2014
Adore Me (5): Charged until finding the top at 1200.
Monbet (4): Three wide to park at bell.
Venus Serena (13): Sixth, three wide and one back at bell, parked 700.
King Denny (4): Three wide to park at bell.
Supersonic Miss (11): Sixth three wide and one back at bell, parked 700.
Sky Major (13): Four back on outer at bell, fifth and four wide home turn.
Sheemon (13): Seventh, three back and three wide at bell.
Beaudiene Boaz (4): Three fence at bell.
Franco Nelson (12): Fourth last at bell, sweeping run three and four wide from the 800.
2012
Trainer Colin Butler and his ill wife Raelyne celebrate with driver Phil Butcher after Charlemagne’s $90 upset in 2012. Butcher started from the inside of the second row but was able to weave into the one-one at the bell.Pembrook’s Delight (2): Trailed bell.
Royal Aspirations (2): Led.
Onlyforyou (11): Parked just after bell.
Cyclone U Bolt (3): Led bell then trailed.
O Baby (2): Led, trailed bell.
Charlemagne (9): One-one at bell.
Five Card Draw (5): Led.
Terror To Love (2): Led.
Smolda (3): Parked bell, led 650.
2010
Beaudiene Bad Babe (11): Three wide to lead at bell.
Kylie Ree (3): Led.
Bettor Cover Lover (13): Four wide to lead at bell.
Vulcan (5): Up to lead at bell.
De Lovely (1): Led.
I Can Doosit (10): Four back, mounted attack 600.
Major Mark (1): Led.
Tintin In America (9): Trailed bell.
Sir Lincoln (10): One out one back.
2008
Nearea Franco (5): Led.
Muscle And Power (8*): Pressed wide to lead at 1200. (* Later disqualified)
Safin (1): Led, trailed bell.
Lauraella (5): One-one at bell.
Sovereignty (10): Nice run through to be third at bell.
Changeover (8): Mounted lightning run from the rear at the bell to park at the 800 then led.
Springbank Richard (4): Led.
Fiery Falcon (4): Led.
Highview Tommy (10): One-one at bell.
More news in Harness
Hey Wendy and Amy, go easy of Fergs as he’s doing a sterling job taming Lincoln Linda
Third time lucky for Wave’s little bro Omaha Lincoln who finally debuts at Auckland
Copy N Paste a ‘tradesman’ but look for bold debut run at Cambridge on Thursday night
Ray reveals his theory on why rank outsider Sammy Lincoln can play a hand in the derby
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
6.38pm
“I’m not sure where she’s at. It’s a big drop in class - there’s not much in there - but I don’t think she’ll morph into a star. She was hitting the sulky wheels last time and over-racing but that won’t happen again.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.36pm
“She paced roughly last time but we’ve done a bit of work on her since so she should be happier this time. It depends on the trip she gets (from four) but she’ll go an honest race. She’s no superstar, but she doesn’t miss many cheques.”
Race 8: Copy N Paste
8.45pm
“He’s dour and tradesman-like but he’s getting there. It’s his first time off the place, and the trip will improve him, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him competitive in what is a very weak field. Sometimes you don’t know what the Bettors Delights have got until they front up at the races but he trialled well and beat a couple who are against him here.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.53pm
“He actually tried last time. He’s a nice horse but can change his mind quickly. Full blinds woke him up last time so we’ll see if he responds to them again this time.”
Race 3: Omaha Lincoln
5.46pm
“I think he’ll go a good race but it’s his first time at Alexandra Park so I don’t want to talk him up too much. He’s got enough ability to win a race like this, whether he’s ready to do it, we’ll find out. He can get a bit keen at times but I think he’s a chance if he does everything right.”
Race 5: Spiritual Bliss
6.54pm
“It was another great run last time after leading and she’s a good, tough mare who will go another good race. What trip she gets will determine where she finishes. From five, I’m picking she might go back this time but I’ll leave that up to the driver (Harrison Orange).”
Race 6: Sharpe Stride
7.24pm
“He’s a nice trotter, a big strong colt. He can get a bit hot but there’s nothing wrong with how he goes. He’s certainly not good enough to deal with these but he’s there for a run around.”
Race 9: Leo Lincoln
8.57pm
“He’s racing in career-best form and they were struggling for runners so I put him in. He gets a starting fee of $1750 so we won’t go home empty-handed. I’m really happy with him, he’s handling right-handed racing better these days. But he’s racing the bear cats so I’m not suggesting for a second he’ll give them a fright.”
Race 10: Colonel Lincoln
9.25pm
“I thought he went super last time. It was a vast improvement on the previous two starts and you’ve got to remember he was out for a long time. He’s coming to it now and improving all the time. I couldn’t label him but I’d be surprised if he’s not in the first three or four. He’s trained on well and gets a front row draw.”
Race 10: Sugar Ray Lincoln
9.25pm
“He was given too much to do last time - up to park at the bell - and you can’t drive the ears off them every time. With a more conservative trip he’d be right in it.”
