Sundees Son’s sensational return

By Jonny Turner

 Sundees Son’s sensational return to racing provided owner Colin Hair with the second of two harness racing highlights in less than a week.

The Robert Dunn trained trotter signalled he was set for a big spring campaign when he unleashed a powerful finish to win his first start of the new season.

Though Hair does not want to get ahead of himself, the breeder-owner admitted its hard not to get excited about what could be in store for Sundees Son.

“You don’t want to get ahead you yourself, but it is a bit scary to think about what is coming up.”

A strong early pace set up by The Dominator had Sundees Son well back in a strung out field.

After tacking on to the field from his 25m handicap, the 5yr-old still had a big task ahead of him with lap to run, when third last.

Driver John Dunn found a three-wide cart in to the race before the turn for Sundees Son and the trotter let down with a brilliant finish to reel in the game pacemaker, The Dominator, by three-quarters of a length at the line.

Sundees Sun looks set to return an even better prospect that he was when he ended his sensational 4yr-old with a hat-trick of group 1 wins.

Hair said his horse had thrived during his short winter break.

“He did do well when he was out, he has never been an overly big horse, but he has come back looking a bit bigger and a bit stronger.”

Hair was to have a two-pronged attack on Friday night’s 2600m feature.

Woodstone, who trialled well behind Sundees Son recently, had to be scratched from the race.

The trotter is expected to be back at the races next week, Hair said.

It was a case of two out of three ain’t bad for the Canterbury owner, this week.

Woodstone’s scratching was one negative beside two positives - Sundees Son’s win and Hair’s re-election to the Harness Racing New Zealand board.

Hair received the most votes of any of the nine people who stood in the recent election, which came as a pleasant surprise.

“I was quite surprised – I didn’t realise I would get so much support because I am not affiliated to a particular club.”

Friday night’s race provided contrasting fortunes for its Dominion bound trotters.

Habibi Inta hit the line strongly after only finding clear running on the passing lane in the last 50m of the event.

Destiny Jones and Monkeys Way went sound races, finishing fourth and sixth, respectively.

Madeline Stowe, who is not nominated for the Dominion went a bold race to run fifth in her toughest career test.

Comeback trotters Monbet and Enghien were not able to show their best on a wet Addington track.

Monbet lost touch with the leaders before the turn and battled in to ninth placing.

Driver Ricky May reported to stewards the horse felt lethargic throughout the race and it could have been due to the wet state of the track.

A post-race veterinary examination showed Monbet had recovered poorly and had an elevated heart rate.

Enghien broke briefly on two occasions in the running, before tiring at the finish to run seventh.