Harry's first 100 wins and the pursuit of a Group 1

By Michael Guerin

The young man with a big name knows he will get plenty more chances to win a Group 1 after this Friday’s $100,000 Taylor Mile at Alexandra Park.

But his equine best mate might not.

Harrison Orange is on his way to becoming the next big thing in New Zealand harness racing, passing his latest milestone when Chanel Noire gave him his 100th winner just 20 months into his career last Friday.

Orange may be surprised but few others are.

The son of champion driver Blair Orange, 19-year-old Harry (he prefers Harry) looks, talks and smiles like his father.

He drives a lot like him too.

At an age when most juniors are hoping to pick up a few drives a week Harrison is in the top 10 on the premiership and top three North Island-based drivers.

His father sits atop that ladder, as he has every year since 2018.

Harry is now an Alexandra Park regular, driving favourites against rivals who were his heroes a few years ago.

“It has been amazing how quickly it has all happened,” he says.

“I started driving a few winners down the line but Alexandra Park on Friday nights, with everybody watching, is a new level.

“I am getting used to it now. I have a routine, driving Thursday and Friday and you get used to being out there.

“It is fun.”

With success comes expectation and the younger Orange is sometimes expected to drive like Dad but with about 20,000 less career drives to fall back on.

“Things change when you start driving favourites,” he explains. 

“If I get a couple of wins on a Friday night but mess one or two drives up it annoys me because you are expected to get things right.

“But I just have to keep working at it and improving.”

Post-meeting phone calls to Dad help, while bosses Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan are free with advice and the stable’s No.1 driver Zachary Butcher is never far away.

With his foot flat to the floor Orange has a highway of future success ahead of him but he knows what his next dream destination is.

“Obviously I’d love to drive a Group 1 winner,” he says.

Which brings us to the Taylor Mile and Sooner The Bettor, Harry’s favourite horse, the willing stallion who can leave the gate like he has been shot out of a gun.

“He is so cool to drive,” he says.

“To have a horse who can leave the gate like that and then still have the strength and ability to go on with it is awesome, especially so early in my career.”

But while Orange will likely get hundreds more opportunities to win Group 1s the body clock is ticking for Sooner The Bettor.

He has given his all during an incredibly tough era in harness racing and this Friday might be his best remaining chance of securing a Group 1: a sprint trip, drawn well on his home track with some of the favourites drawn to have to chase him.

“I’d love to get my first Group 1 on him and this is his best chance,” says Orange.

“So if we can lead I’d like to stay there, that is where he is happiest.”

Orange also partners Higher Power when he makes his open grade Group 1 debut in the Anzac Cup Trot tomorrow night.

As the field for the Taylor Mile fly off the gate just after 8pm on Friday directly to Harry’s inside will be his father driving We Walk By Faith. 

Inside him will be New Zealand’s most successful ever reinsman Tony Herlihy.

Your father and the greatest, both directly inside the new young star of New Zealand, standing between him and the marker pegs and the lead. What are the chances?

“Well it actually happened three weeks ago in the Waikato Mile,” laughs Harry.

“Dad was drawn alongside me with Tony in barrier 1.”

Harry and Sooner The Bettor blasted the gate and almost won that night, denied on the post by The Janitor.

An unusual chapter in an unlikely story to start a teenager’s career.

Keep watching, the Harry show is just getting started.

Who : Harrison "Harry" Orange 

Age: 19
Job: Harness racing junior driver.
Career record: 100 wins from 607 drives
Employers: Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan.
Chip off the old block: Son of champion driver Blair Orange.
Goal: To win a Group 1.
Next chance: Alexandra Park this Friday.
Favourite horse: Sooner The Bettor.