by Duane Ranger
Matt Anderson’s four-win lead at the top of the New Zealand Junior Driving Premiership could be extended at Forbury Park tonight (Friday).
The Canterbury horseman has five drives on the nine-race programme and rated the Graeme Anderson trained Eamon Maguire as his best winning chance in the feature pace – the $10,000 Telfer Electrical Handicap for the R60 and faster pacers.
“It will be my first drive behind him. If the real Eamon Maguire stood up he would win that race, even from 30m behind. He’s a very nice horse and he’s having his first run since late October.
“Graeme (Anderson) is a quality trainer and always has his horses spot on. Actually it’s always an honour driving for him,” 25-year-old Anderson said.
Anderson said after he finished second in the Junior Driving Premiership last year, he was adamant he wanted to go one better in 2017-2018.
“It’s my last season as a junior and it means a great deal to me to go out as number one. If I have to travel I will. If I can win the premiership other things like Championships will take care of themselves.
“I just want to thank all the owners and trainers for putting faith in me this season. I just want to keep putting myself out there and do my very best by everyone,” he said.
Anderson, a former New Zealand age-group soccer rep, worked for Tony Herlihy (MNZM) at Ardmore before joining forces with the All Stars Stable a couple of seasons ago. He has been with Mitchell Kerr since August.
“Even though Mark and Natalie were very good to me and I learnt so much there, I thought I might get more driving opportunities with Mitchell, and it’s worked out well. I’m really enjoying the job and I’ve had about 80 drives this season,” Anderson said.
Anderson leads the junior driving premiership with 17 wins – four more than Cambridge’s Ben Butcher. Anderson and Invercargill’s Sheree Tomlinson. He finished runner-up behind Rory McIlwrick last season with 25 wins, and was sixth (25 wins) the year before.
The former St Thomas of Canterbury College pupil, has five drives at tonight’s Forbury Park nine-race meeting. Here’s what he had to say about them:
Race 2: The Brian Norman trained Easton Karere (3) – “Three-year-old filly who will need things to go her way. This is my first drive behind her, but she did place for Dexter (Dunn) on the track last week. First four chance.”
Race 3: The Brian Norman trained Easton Foxglove (7) – “Another Brian Norman three-year-old filly who was pulled up at Oamaru (when second favourite) on Sunday. She won a trial before that. Not the best of draws but she can figure here.”
Race 6: The Murray Swain trained Share The Road (7) – “Manners are the key with this mare. If she can do things right early she can be in it. She felt nice when I drove her into second (when favourite) at Wyndham last month. Each-way.”
Race 8: The Graeme Anderson trained Eamon Maguire (10) – “Jonny Cox’s Rocknroll Magic will be the toughest for us to beat but if he’s on-song he’s a definite each-way bet. He likes the track. I’ve done quite a bit of driving for Graeme, but this is the first time I will have driven this horse. I’m expecting ‘Eamon’ to go a nice race.”
Race 9: The Brian Norman trained Essence Of Easton (1) – “This is also my first drive behind him and even though he has the nice draw he’s going to have to show a bit more than what he did at Oamaru on Sunday. First four – if things go his way.”
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