Racing: Kahdon joins stable of Mark Jones

Kahdon strides past Miami H to win the Derby. The pair will clash at Cambridge in the Jewels next Saturday. Photo / Greg Bowker

What do you do when you have to scratch your stable star from her $100,000 division of the Harness Jewels?

Well, if you are Canterbury trainer Mark Jones you go out and buy her arch rival.

Jones withdrew New Zealand Trotting Derby winner Shezoneoftheboyz from next Saturday's Jewels meeting after she again trotted below her best at the Cambridge workouts on Saturday.

However, he is set to be confirmed as the new trainer of Shezoneoftheboyz's arch rival Kahdon, providing the latter passes a veterinary examination today.

Jones' big-spending Australian owner Peter Chambers, who also owns Shezoneoftheboyz, has made an offer for Kahdon which has been accepted pending her passing a vet check.

Under the terms of the deal, Kahdon will remain with trainer Paul Nairn until after Saturday's race but Jones replaces David Butt as the driver.

Kahdon will then join Jones' stable and is likely to be set for the Australasian Breeders Crown in Victoria in August.

Jones says while he is disappointed to have to withdraw Shezoneoftheboyz from the Jewels he is thrilled to be getting Kahdon after the race.

"Peter is a great owner and it is unreal how much he has supported me," said Jones.

"But it is a bit scary getting a horse off Paul Nairn because he is the best trainer of trotters I have seen so I won't be able to improve her."

Jones, who has made progress as a trainer this season and sits sixth on premiership, says withdrawing Shezoneoftheboyz from the Jewels was in the best interest of the filly and the right step in his training career.

"She has had enough and there is no point in going around just for the sake of it.

"Saturday was D-day for her and she didn't trot as well as she can.

"She is growing and hasn't got the muscle on her frame at the moment, so I'd rather see her in the paddock strengthening up than racing below her best.

"And that is part of learning to be a good trainer. The top trainers know when to give a horse a break and what races to miss.

"Hopefully, I am doing the right thing."

Both Shezoneoftheboyz and Kahdon look potential open-class mares, having dominated their male rivals this season.

Shezoneoftheboyz was the early autumn star winning the Hambletonian and New Zealand Derby but Kahdon has improved five lengths in the past three months and won both the Sires' Stakes and Northern Derby at the Rowe Cup meeting.

She has drawn the second line in her division of the Jewels and has lost favouritism to Miami H but trialled exceptionally at Alexandra Park on Saturday, beating the pacers in a fast time over 2200m.

Several other Jewels contenders trialled at Cambridge on Saturday, with Better Cover Lover the most impressive. She beat the older horses with a 55.9 second last 800m which will guarantee she has plenty of fans, even from the outside of the second line in the $200,000 juvenile fillies' division.

Others to boost their claims were Ima Gold Digger, who downed Jewels favourite I Can Doosit in a 2200m mobile heat, and Paramount Geegee.

The latter showed he has overcome a recent setback when beating Kylie Ree in what was a battle of the 2-year-old trotting favourites.

The first serious bet taken when the fixed odds markets opened yesterday was $3000 on Russley Rascal at $1.80, with most of the favourites at around $2 or less.

Jewels swap

* Star trotting filly Kahdon has been sold for huge money.

* She will join the Mark Jones stable after Saturday's Jewels at Cambridge.

* Jones has pulled Shezoneoftheboyz out of the Jewels.

* Better Cover Lover, Ima Gold Digger and Paramount Geegee all trial well in preparation for the big day.