By Duane Ranger
Jack MacKinnon looks set to claim the 2016-2017 Alexandra Park Driving title despite being four wins behind the North Island’s leading junior – Dylan Ferguson on the national premiership.
MacKinnon (KD Hall), Ben Butcher (Red Magic) and Robert Argue (Primus Inter Pares) all had good wins at Cambridge raceway last Friday night.
Ironically MacKinnon still trails Dylan Ferguson by seven points on the Cambridge Junior Driving Premiership as well.
“I’m 21 now and really want to win as many races as I can before the end of the season. There are some good junior drivers out there and I want to win every premiership that’s going,” Pukekohe-based MacKinnon said.
North Island Premiership tables read (top five as at June 20):
JUNIORS:
Leading North Island Junior Driver (national premiership):
1) Dylan Ferguson 19 wins from 208 drives; 2) Jack MacKinnon 15 wins from 112 drives; 3) Tony Cameron 14 wins from 64 drives; 4) Ben Butcher 13 wins from 178 drives; 5) Robert Argue 11 wins from 118 drives.
Alexandra Park Junior Drivers Premiership:
1) Jack MacKinnon 9 wins from 68 starts; 2) Sean Grayling (NSW) 8 wins from 68 starts; 3) Robert Argue 5 wins from 54 starts; 4) Dylan Ferguson 3 wins from 42 starts; 5) Tony Cameron 2 wins from 24 starts.
Cambridge Raceway Junior Driver:
1) Dylan Ferguson 22 points; 2) Jack MacKinnon 15 points; 3=) Robert Argue 13 points; 3= Tony Cameron 13 points; 5) Mark Johnson 12 points.
Meanwhile, Tony Herlihy (MNZM) has won the Alexandra Park training and driving titles for several years now, there will be new champions crowned at ‘The Park’ in 2016-2017.
DRIVING PREMIERSHIPS:
Leading North Island Driver (national premiership):
1) David Butcher 68 wins from 443 drives; 2) John Dunn 65 wins from 525 drives; 3) Zac Butcher 45 wins from 290 drives; 4) Maurice McKendry (MNZM) 42 wins from 318 drives; 5) Sailesh Abernethy 33 wins from 302 drives.
Alexandra Park Drivers Premiership:
1) David Butcher 19 wins from 192 starts; 2) Maurice McKendry (MNZM) 28 wins from 199 starts; 3) Zac Butcher 26 wins from 172 starts; 4) Tony Herlihy (MNZM) 20 wins from 1972 starts; 5) Brent Mangos 20 wins from 132 starts.
Cambridge Raceway Leading Driver (of trotters) points:
1) David Butcher 39 points; 2) Todd Mitchell 29 points; 3) Josh Dickie 24 points; 4) Maurice McKendry 24 points; 5) Sailesh Abernethy 23 points.
TRAINERS PREMIERSHIPS:
Leading North Island Trainer (national premiership):
1) Robert Dunn 81 wins from 611 starts; 2) Barry Purdon 37 wins from 245 drives; 3) John & Josh Dickie 35 wins from 165 starts; 4) Steve Telfer & Chris Garlick 35 wins from 246 starts; 5) Tony Herlihy (MNZM) 33 wins from 226 starts.
Alexandra Park Trainers (as of Tuesday June 20):
1) Barry Purdon 25 wins from 173 starts; 2) Mark Purdon & Natalie Rasmussen 23 wins from 76 starts; 3) John & Josh Dickie 23 wins from 115 starts; 4) Tony Herlihy (MNZM) 21 wins from 157 starts); 5) Ray Green 15 wins from 122 starts.
Cambridge Raceway Leading Trainer:
1) Steve Telfer & Chris Garlick 107 points; 2) Todd Mitchell 96 points; 3) Barry Purdon 86 points; 4) Tim Vince 73 points; 5) Mike Berger 96 points.
Cambridge Raceway Trainer (of trotters) points:
1) Geoff Martin 25 points; 2) James Stormont 24 points; 3) Nicky Chilcott 23 points; 4) Stephen Argue 22 points; 5) Todd Mitchell 21 points.
AMATEUR DRIVERS (North Islanders on the national premiership):
1) Sheryl Wigg 10 wins from 22 drives; 2) Gerry Cronin 2 wins from 12 starters; 3) Danny Blakemore 2 wins from 14 starts; 4) David Branch 1 win from five starts; 5) Stephen Butcher 1 win from eight starts.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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