NZ HARNESS NEWS
Dunn hits 900
Canterbury driver John Dunn brought up career win 900 when Bettor Chance, trained by his father Robert, won at Addington on Friday night, then celebrated by guiding stablemate Bite The Bullet to win the Kurow Cup on Sunday at Oamaru.
Dunn is third on the drivers premiership with five wins at this early stage, one behind David Butcher and Blair Orange. Dunn drove 75 winners last season to finish fifth overall.
His best total came in 2015-16 with 109 when third behind younger brother Dexter Dunn (2007 career wins) and Orange (1380).
Meanwhile, veteran Canterbury driver Colin De Filippi is on 1999 career wins going into Thursday night’s Addington meeting as he bids to join the elite 2000-win club.
Hope scores first win
Canterbury-based junior driver Ben Hope showed nerves of steel to win his first career race, when the aptly-named Benhope Rulz shot down the outside when clear to win a maiden at Oamaru on Sunday.
Hope, 18, is the son of leading trainers Greg and Nina Hope, who prepare the three-year-old son of Courage Under Fire, who Ben had been narrowly beaten on in his first race drive at Addington.
The gelding made a safe start and Hope soon pushed him to the front, then trailed Megawatt.
Benhope Rulz ($1.60) was in trouble when Megawatt faded turning in and Hope did well to coolly drag him wide and finish over the top in the last 100m, winning by 1 1/4 lengths.
The horse lay inwards under pressure late and hampered runner-up Norman Richards, the stewards warning Hope to ensure he makes a greater effort to correct his horse in the future.
Kerr leads
Rookie Rangiora trainer Mitchell Kerr leads the national premiership with five wins from seven starters after promising three-year-old colt The Dorchester won nicely at Oamaru on Sunday, after being trapped wide.
Kerr is in his first full season of training and leads by two from Nicky Chilcott, Robert Dunn, Ray Green, Robbie Holmes and Steve Telfer.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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