News Briefs - July 29

Success for Blair and Harry Orange, latest news out of Canada and a brotherly double all feature in this week's News Briefs.

Oranges on a roll

The country's leading driver Blair Orange is on the verge of cracking 100 winners in a season for the 13th season in a row. In 2026 he's had 98 wins so far with stakes earnings of $1.8m. An eight-time winner of the drivers premiership, Orange first had 100 winners in a season in 2014 and has repeated that feat every year since. The most successful season he's had was the elongated one in 2021 when he reined home 267 wins. Meanwhile the next generation, son Harrison Orange has had his first winner in New South Wales. The 19-year-old is in Australia as part of his prize for winning last year's Revell Douglas Memorial series. The trip was paid for by series sponsor Hygain. Orange was initially with Peter McMullen and Chantal Turpin in Queensland before moving to Luke McCarthy's place just outside Sydney. His win came with Mullum Guido at Parkes. It was his second Australian success after winning with Rock Hammer at Albion Park, Brisbane during last year's Australasian Young Drivers Championship. Orange is also part of the line-up for the McMillan Equine NZ Junior Driver Championship that will take place at Alexandra Park and Ashburton on August 7 and 9.  

Dex double in Kentucky 

Dexter Dunn, who won 10 New Zealand driving premierships in a row before Orange went on his current run, has continued his hot streak in North America in the  past week. He has 120 wins so far in 2026 with stakes earnings of $5.1m, to be third behind Jason Bartlett ($7.1m) and Yannick Gingras ($5.7m). Dunn is a  five-time USA Driver of the Year and among his most recent successes were at The Red Mile in Kentucky where he took out both the Sire Stakes 4YO Pacing Males and Mares races in 1:49.2 and 1:50.2 respectively with Arturovico and Three Times Bettor.   

Canada names drivers for 2027 WDC

Jody Jamieson and defending champion James MacDonald will represent Canada when they host the next World Driving Championship in 2027. Jamieson has won more than 9000 races in his career and has won the WDC twice before in 2001 and 2011 while MacDonald is also a  two-time champ following his success around New Zealand last year. Next year's WDC will be held at five racetracks across the country with the finale at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

It's "No Canada" for American Me

Group 1 winner American Me is not heading to the land of the Maple Leaf, in the immediate future anyway. The 9YO has been going great of late, with three wins in a row since heading north to Matty White's stables at Clevedon. The latest, his 21st, on Friday night at Alexandra Park, also gave White his 300th driving win. American Me was under offer to North America but his owners have decided they will keep him in New Zealand for now.

Buffy goes past 200 starts

With starts at Addington on both Friday and Sunday, Buffy Northstains has passed a significant milestone. The Majestic Son eight-year-old, the winner of 22 races for trainer/part-owner Bruce Negus, has now had 201 starts after debuting as a 3YO in 2021.  A $5000 purchase as a weanling she has earned over $272K.

Franco shuffles off to WA

An impressive winner at Addington last month, Franco Harlem will do his future racing in Western Australia. His victory for trainers Robert and Jenna Dunn was his first start as a three year old after two unplaced starts last season. Heavily supported at the time, the favourite made a mess of the non-winners field, clearing out by more than eight lengths. The Captain Crunch - Haiti Franco colt was purchased at the 2024 National Yearling Sale in Christchurch for $23,000.

Edges win two on trot

What a Sunday afternoon it was for the Edge brothers with two trotting winners within minutes of each other. In Race 4 at Winton Gasherbrum, trained by Neil Edge and Ngaire Buchan, won the New World Winton Handicap Trot, at big odds, paying $36. Driven by Kerryn Tomlinson, who had a double on the day, it was Gasherbrum's second win in 19 starts. And just minutes later in Race 3 at Addington the Alan Edge-trained Franco Light won on debut for driver John Dunn in the Betavet Betabreathe for Airway Support and Recovery Trot. It was part of a quinella for sire Creatine, with Still Hope finishing second.