Underrated sprinter Johnny Jones showed just what he is capable of when he pummelled a handy field of open-class sprinters over 1200m at Wingatui.

 

The John and Karen Parsons-trained six-year-old had scored a hollow front-running win at Gore over the same distance at his last start and he continued on in that manner on Saturday.

 

Sent to the front from barrier rise by apprentice Tina Comignaghi, the Pins gelding kept up a relentless gallop throughout that had his chasers struggling to get near him at any stage of the contest.

 

Allowed to slip clear on the corner, Johnny Jones kept going powerfully to score by three-quarters of a length from recent Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) place-getter Signify with Shaara clinging gamely to third.

 

It was Johnny Jones’ 8th career victory and third with Comignaghi in the saddle.

 

“It’s important to not take a hold (of him) as he throws his head in the air and doesn’t race properly,” Comignaghi said.

 

“You just let him do his own thing.

 

“He felt really good at the top of the straight and I thought I had it.”

 

Stable representative Vicky Ramhit admitted the horse had travelled well to Dunedin from their Balcairn base which gave him plenty of confidence of a good result.

 

“I know him better than most people do and when I saw him at the 400m I said the race was over as he was travelling so good,” he said.

 

“He had a good trip down here and settled well so I was pretty confident about him.”

 

Johnny Jones is the son of more-than-useful racemare Raining who won seven of her 21 starts and was stakes placed at Listed level. He is a full brother to multiple stakes winner Pins ‘N’ Needles who finished runner-up in the 2007 Gr.1 Thorndon Mile at Trentham.