News Briefs : Sept 11

Dunn's big birthday

Industry stalwart Robert Dunn turns 70 this week and there'll be a race named in his honour this Friday. The big birthday happens tomorrow (Thursday, September 12), and the following day there will be the Woodlands Stud Wish R J Dunn a Happy 70th Mobile Pace at Addington Raceway (Race 8, 8.46pm). Dunn and training partner Jenna Dunn currently led the trainers' premiership for 2024 with 113 wins, 21 clear of Steve and Amanda Telfer. The three-time champion trainer has a total of 2067 training successes, either on his own or in partnership, placing him third all-time behind Barry Purdon (2709) and Mark Purdon (2605). Robert's sons Dexter and John Dunn meanwhile are kicking some serious goals in the cart this year. Dexter is now the third highest stakes earner in North America after another successful weekend. He has now won 21 races and $7.7m in 2024 after Jiggy Jog S won the $1m MGM Yonkers International Trot at Yonkers in New York. Dunn's $7.7m puts him third behind Yannick Gingras ($9.3m) and Jason Bartlett ($8.9m). And John Dunn is second in the drivers' premiership in this country with 110 wins this year to be second, 14 behind six-time champion Blair Orange. He drove four winners at Addington last Friday with Team Dunn (Diamond Racing) training six overall on the night.

Highgrove back, Sunnys Sister injured

Talking of the Dunns, their high class trotter Highgrove makes a welcome return to the race track at Addington Raceway on Friday night. The winner of 11 from 22 starts, the Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained Highgrove has not raced since December 2022 because of injury. But his form has been very encouraging at the trials. He faces a small but very competitive field first up including stable-mate Aardiebythehill who secured a place in the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot with his win in last Friday's Ordeal Cup. Highgrove's race is set to go at 7.15pm. The news is not so good for stablemate Sunnys Sister who is out for an estimated three months with a bone chip.

Vale Alan Shaw

Harness Racing New Zealand would like to pass its condolences to the family of Alan Shaw. The Tapanui horseman has died after a short illness. Shaw had 24 training successes, the first with Don Pierre, driven by Robin Swain, in Invercargill in 1980 and his last was Superfastsuperstar, also at Ascot Park, in June last year. He had five driving wins with Bionic Rabbit in 1993 and Superstaragogo in 2001. Superstaragogo ended up winning eight races from 99 starts. Shaw's best season came in 2010-11, when Superstarourwishes won five times.

Qualifying ends for junior drivers

The qualifying period for the New Zealand Junior Drivers' Championships finishes this Sunday at Oamaru. The country's top 12 drivers will battle it out at Cambridge and Addington in October. As of now, the 12 drivers for the championships would be Wilson House, Sam Thornley, Carter Dalgety, Olivia Thornley, Crystal Hackett, Zev Meredith, Monika Ranger, Kerryn Tomlinson, Max Hill, Riley Harrison and Emily Johnson, plus a wildcard to be selected by HRNZ Chief Executive Brad Steele.

150 for Purvis

Woodend-based trainer Matt Purvis had his 150th training success when Don Juan won the Matt Smith Construction Mobile Pace at Methven on Sunday, with Mia Holbrough in the sulky. His first training win was with Machs Mareta at Rangiora in April 2018. His 150 wins have come from 1426 starts, with his best season being the 44 wins he had in 2022. He's also driven 53 winners.

Anything Goes gone

Eight win pacer Anything Goes will do his future racing in Australia after joining Kevin Pizzuto in New South Wales. The six-year-old American Ideal gelding started with Steve Dolan, winning six races including his first two. He then had eight starts with Mark and Nathan Purdon, for two wins. His biggest victory was in the Group 2 Coca Cola Superstars Free For All final at Addington last April. Pizzuto is best known in this country for training Tiger Tara who retired from racing in 2019 after 37 wins in 112 starts and earnings of just over $2.3m.

Three for the doctor at Alexandra Park

The remarkable Dr Luk Chin will have three runners in the first ever $35,000 Majestic Son at Alabar Northern Metro Series Final at Alexandra Park on Friday night. The 81-year-old, who still works fulltime as a medical professional, will line up Jasinova, Barsukov and Mazeppa in the big race. Dr Chin works his team in the morning before heading off to his day job as an anesthesiologist. He's had 152 driving successes and 190 as a trainer since the early 1980s. Friday's final is set to go at 8.08pm. His latest training and driving success was with Chesinov at Cambridge last night.

The Box Seat is back

A revamped The Box Seat premiered on Trackside last night and is available on hrnz.co.nz. Back after a winter break the weekly harness racing show has had a major makeover. Anchored by commentator Matt Cross, along with presenter/analyst Greg O'Connor it has gone from an hour to 45 minutes and will be recorded live every Wednesday night from Trackside's new Addington studios. Racing journalist Michael Guerin and well-known tipster Craig "The Whale" Thompson will regularly feature on the show.