Cover image courtesy of Singapore Turf Club
Kane was raised in a racing family, his father Wayne enjoying “small scale success” as an owner/trainer. He has early memories not only of the track but of time spent with horses, laughing as he recalled “getting kicked in the face by a broodmare when I was three; luckily it didn't put me off!”
One horse to earn an affectionate place in Kane's memories is Alpha Pukeko (Catbird), a horse trained by his father. The stakes placed six time winner (from 24 starts) named after a New Zealand bird was part owned by Kane who described him as “a wonderful horse for our family.”
Kane Jones | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
With his mother Liz and one of his sisters; Lena, sharing the thoroughbred love, the family decided a few years ago to buy a mare and breed together.
Big fan of Fastnet Rock
As “a big fan of Fastnet Rock and his achievements as a sire and a broodmare sire,” Kane was happy to secure, at the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, one of his daughters; the well related lightly raced Newcastle maiden winner Lamplighter.
“A beautiful mare to look at,” she was purchased, in foal to Wandjina, for $85,000. She is one of the four winners for the stakes placed Glowlamp (Encosta de Lago), half-sister to the G3 Hobart Cup winner Offenbach (Danehill {USA}) from the family of Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire).
Fastnet Rock | Image courtesy of Coolmore
Happy to sell the Wandjina colt for $92,500 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale, the Jones family enjoyed following that horse's career; Light Up (NZ) winning four races.
Reliable Man (GB) was chosen as the mate for Lamplighter for her next two seasons at stud with her second foal for the Jones family being sold at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale.
Named Famous Anson (NZ), he has been "a pretty handy horse in Macau" where he has won five races.
A lovely foal
Shamexpress was next for Lamplighter and the colt who appeared at Curraghmore on September 16, 2019 had instant appeal.
“He was a lovely foal,” Kane recalled, “always strong and good looking and always that little bit quirky.
Shamexpress | Standing at Windsor Park Stud
“He was always intended to be a trade horse and we entrusted trainer Glenn Old with his early education with the view of getting him to the trials.
“He duly delivered by winning both trials nicely and he was sold to Singapore.
“It is always bittersweet to sell a horse you have bred,” Kane admitted. “But the money in the bank is nice and you get to follow the horse through their career, and we always wish the new owners the very best with them.”
Lim's Saltoro as a foal | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Named Lim's Saltoro, Lamplighter's son made his way to the stables of Dan Meagher and was straight into winning form with success in an 1100m maiden at Kranji in September last year; showing great pace out of the gates, always travelling well on pace and getting clear over the final stages.
Having his runs slightly spaced, Lim's Saltoro won his next four with his first defeat a second in Listed company in April.
An exciting Lim's quinella
He certainly lost no fans with that run, showing his usual pace before engaging in an exciting two horse battle with his stablemate Lim's Kosciuszko (Kermadec {NZ}) over the final furlong; that horse getting the upper hand only late.
And that horse also has an impressive resume; the two times Singapore Horse Of The Year winning 20 of his 26 starts. He had the edge of experience on the two years younger Lim's Saltoro which certainly added merit to that horse's performance.
Lim's Saltoro
The winner of the Listed Kranji Mile at his only start since, Lim's Kosciuszko has held up the form as has Lim's Saltoro who in four subsequent outings has not been beaten.
Only the second horse to make a complete sweep of the three feature events for four-year-olds; the SingG3 Silver Bowl and the SingG2 Stewards Cup, Lim's Saltoro was not surprisingly the crowd and the punter's favourite contesting the final SingG1 Singapore Derby.
With racing in that jurisdiction due to wind up in October, each feature will be won by a horse with a special (and sad) piece of history, something appreciated by Kane as Lim's Saltoro showed not only his class but his heart when digging deep to win the historic race which has its roots going back over 140 years.
The historic Singapore Derby
Described by the Singapore Turf Club as "one of the oldest and most prestigious feature races in Singapore," the Derby was first run at the Farrer Park Racecourse in 1880, discontinued in 1910 and resurrected in 1959.
It is a race in which New Zealand bred horses boast a good history, Lim's Saltoro joining Infantry (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), Well Done (NZ) (Falkirk {NZ}), Spalato (NZ) (Elusive City {USA}), Chase Me (NZ) (Storm Creek {USA}), Clint (NZ) (Casual Lies {USA}) and Race Ahead (NZ) (Al Akbar) as winners of the 1800m contest since 2010.
And it was a second win for Dan Meagher with Lim's Kosciuszko successful two years ago; that horse one of six wins in a row for Australian bred horses.
“One of the oldest and most prestigious feature races (Singapore Derby) in Singapore.”
“He etched his name into a bit of history,” Kane said, “and it pretty nice to have played a small part in that.
“It has been really special following Lim's Saltoro's career,” he said, adding that whilst his family watched the race from their separate homes on Sunday there was definitely shared joy.
“The family group chat was popping, there were lots of messages going to and fro!
“We are a very, very close family so to share a win like that, to breed a horse like Lim's Saltoro, has been a special experience.
“There is so much planning, so much time and effort as well as money that goes into breeding a horse so I really appreciate anyone who does that willingly; they enjoy any success that comes along.
“When a plan comes along it is pretty good, I am well aware of how difficult it is so we are really savouring Lim's Saltoro and hopefully we can do so for some time to come.”
Australia bound?
With the four-year-old due to possibly have a crack at the final G1 Singapore Gold Cup, there is hope that he may end up in Australia.
The Jones family sold Lamplighter a few years ago with Kane's thoughts now returning to breeding.
“Circumstances changed so we have been out of it for a few years but we'd love to get back into it and Lim's Saltoro certainly reminds us of why we did it.”
“Circumstances changed so we have been out of it for a few years but we'd love to get back into it and Lim's Saltoro certainly reminds us of why we did it.” - Kane Jones
A member of the New Zealand Bloodstock team for 15 years, Kane started off in the air freight division where he enjoyed travelling throughout Asia's racing countries; Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and Malaysia.
Breeding a horse who has proven to be so classy and so popular in Singapore gives him pleasure.
“It is a beautiful country with lovely people and it is a terrible shame that their racing is coming to an end.”
