The race is on.
With two months of the season remaining, the national driver’s premiership title is up for grabs with several contenders still in the mix.
Leading the way is Victorian based reinsman Greg Sugars with 200 wins on the board, he holds a two win lead over Queensland based Shane Graham.
Fellow Victorians Gavin Lang (189) and Nathan Jack (183) sit next and well within striking distance.
Sugars landed his 200th winner on Saturday at Shepparton aboard the Leigh Miles prepared Be Good Juddy.
Last season, Sugars finished third behind Chris Alford (298) and Amanda Turnbull (219) with 218 winners.
Graham finished 12th with 164 winners.
Double century seasons are nothing new for Sugars who has now surpassed the mark in five of the last six seasons.
His highest tally of wins in a single season came in the 2012/13 term with 258 victories.
Graham is yet to register a double century season.
He has posted ten century seasons previously.
Interestingly, star Kiwi reinsman Dexter Dunn registered his 200th winner on Friday night at Forbury Park when successful behind Give Me Strength.
It is the fourth time he has reached that figure in a season with his best tally, 220 in the 2010-11 season.
He has also 199 wins in two seasons.
He won 206 in NZ last season.
The final two months of the season in Australia offers plenty of feature racing, this weekend, the rich Vicbred Super Series Finals at TABCORP Park, Melton take place while the opening night of the winter carnival gets underway in Brisbane at Albion Park.
Both Sugars and Graham will figure prominently.
This is a race that looks set to go right down to the wire, so strap yourself in and follow the action closely in the months of July and August.
29 June 2015
by Chris Barsby
Driving the Future of Harness Racing