High profile trainer switches to amateur driving

There’ll be both familiar and unfamiliar names in Sunday’s amateur driving race at Addington.

High profile harness racing trainer Michael House has just taken out his amateur driver’s licence and will drive one of his own horses, Valynda (Art Major) in the Davey Butt Right Now Mobile Pace.

The race will kick start the nine race card – the Bob Butt Racing Stables Race Day.

Also in the opening race is visiting Australian driver Brad Peisley, who will drive Olive Cook. He’ll be making his New Zealand debut.

For House it’s a case of necessity.

“There isn’t much of a pool of amateur drivers at the moment so I thought if someone is going to do it it might as well be me.”

“But I don’t really have any aspirations to be an amateur driver .. I’m filling the space till someone else comes along.”

“Ideally I want a driver who is 48 kilos and passionate,” he quipped.

House doesn’t rate Valynda’s chances despite drawing one over the 1980m mobile, saying as a R35 she’s up against the likes of favourite Classie Linc, who’s a R49.

It will be House’s first race day drive in a couple of years, though “I drive track work every day”.

The last of his 47 driving successes was with Mekong Princess at Addington in December 2016.

As one of the country’s top trainers House has a great pool of open drivers to call on these days, including the country’s best driver Blair Orange, leading junior driver Sarah O’Reilly, as well as his own son Wilson House.

They have helped House to 37 wins this year to be third on the premiership behind Robert and Jenna Dunn (62) and Mark and Nathan Purdon (39).

Fresh up runners Jose Quivera and Fernleigh Blackbird will line up in the day’s feature pace, the TJ Gotta Be Gone by 10 Handicap Pace against the in-form Archie while Te Rapa, Magic Dash, Aiguille and Wynberg Watch will be among the favoured runners in the Good Luck at Uni Mya Mobile Trot for the junior drivers.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk