By Duane Ranger
Rory McIlwrick could have won more races last season but he is glad he pulled short of the 75 career wins that would have seen him automatically become an open horseman.
After 12 meetings in the South Island so far this season McIlwrick has shot to the top of the Junior Drivers’ premiership with six wins – twice as many as second placed Matt Anderson, Sean Grayling and Sheree Tomlinson.
The 24-year-old Otago horseman has now reined home 80 winners from 895 starters since 2011. He’s also placed 128 times and won just under $500,000 in stakes.
“It was a good decision to remain a junior. I’m glad I stopped on 74 last season. It’s important to me to make an impression in the juniors because I know the open ranks will be a whole lot harder.
“I want to win the Junior premiership more than I do the New Zealand and Australasian Championships. That’s how much it means to me,” McIlwrick said.
McIlwrick, who works for Graeme Anderson at Mosgiel, finished fifth on the junior driving premiership last year with 26 wins – 44 less than national champion Brad Williamson, of Oamaru.
“It won’t be easy because there are some good juniors out there who work for good stables and have good connection with owners. It also hasn’t been easy living down south and trying to get drives for Championships.
“You have to travel to Canterbury to get the drives and points. The only time I have been selected for a Championship event was in my second year when I won just eight races and then finished midfield in Championship. I didn’t even got close to qualifying those other years,” said McIlwrick.
“I’m just so happy that it has all changed this year. I’m rapt to be getting better quality drives now,” he added.
His 26 wins in 2015-2016 were a personal best – one more than the previous season. He also took 97 less drives to achieve his milestone.
So far this season McIlwrick has landed six wins, five seconds, and a third from 23 drives. He’s banked $35,060 and he already looks almost certain to crack $100,000 in stakes for the third consecutive season.
McIlwrick’s half dozen victories have come via the Greg and Nina Hope trained Bettor Buy It at Oamaru on August 7; the Hope trained Burn Off at Addington on September 2; the Alan Paisley trained Sweet As at Gore on August 26; the Graeme Anderson trained Hopes And Dreams at Oamaru on August 28; the Anderson trained Arden’s Concord who also won at Oamaru on August 28 and then repeated the dose on the same track last Sunday.
McIlwrick’s ‘six’ have come on three tracks and from just five meetings – but there’s one drive that he rates above all others.
“Winning behind Burn Off is my career highlight to date. It was my first Addington win and it meant so much for me to crack my duck there. It’s the premier race track we all want to win at. I was over the moon. It was even better than my first winning drive,” McIlwrick said.
Incidentally that came career drive number 15 behind the Ron and Julie McEwan trained Fatal Attraction at Invercargill on December 13, 2011.
“Looking back I’d rather not talk about that first win because it took more than two years to get my second. I think my (2014) Cromwell Cup win behind Devil May Care was pretty special too.
“But my first Addington win is now my best moment in the sport, but if I can win the Junior title this season that will beat everything. I know there’s a long way to go but I’m driving better horses now thanks to good trainers like Graeme, Alan and the Hopes,” McIlwrick said.
“Actually I’m grateful to every one who puts me on. I always want to win for them – but I never take the drives for granted,” he added.
He said he got to drive for the Hopes because he kept asking them for the drive behind Bettor Buy It.
“After my win on Burn Off they were kind enough kind enough to let me drive Bettor Buy It. I just want to keep doing a good job for them because they are up there with the best trainers in New Zealand,” he said.
McIlwrick said he drives 90 per cent of Anderson’s team and Dexter Dunn was the regular pilot of the smart four-win (from five races) pacer Sovereign Banner.
“Sovereign Banner and the unbeaten (one from one) Art Major gelding Eamon Maguire would be the best two horses in Graeme’s stable. We work between eight and 12,” McIlwrick said.
Thee Christchurch born and educated at Hornby High School educated reinsman said as well as winning the junior driving premiership he also wanted to notch up 100 career wins this season.
“That would be great. It would also be a personal best and go a long way to winning the premiership. I’d also like to drive a winner at tracks north of Oamaru that I haven’t won on yet like Methven, Motukarara, Nelson, Rangiora and Blenheim.”
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