Orange “pretty happy” after the opening day of WDC

A second placing in the fifth and final race highlighted Kiwi harness racing champion Blair Orange’s opening day at the World Drivers’ Championships in the Netherlands.

The championships, featuring 10 drivers from all around the globe, kicked off with five races at Victoria Park Wolvega.

Competing at his first ever world driving championships, Orange, the five-time New Zealand premiership winner, started well with a fourth in his first drive.

He followed that up with a fourth in the third race as well before a second in the fifth and final race of the day.

On the flip side he was also disqualified in race 4, one of four drivers to have a DQ on the opening day, after their horses broke during the running.

He finished the day with 27 points to be eighth overall, 22 points behind Canada’s Doug McNair and Australian Peter McMullen. Defending champion Rick Ebbinge from the Netherlands is also on 29 points, along with Orange.

“I’m pretty happy,” said Orange after the meeting, “we had a couple of blemishes but it’s onward and upward.”

The championships now head to Gelsenkirden in Germany for five more races, before the final two days in Belgium and Berlin.

In all there are 20 races.

Orange is vying to be the seventh New Zealander to win the world title, following on from Dexter Dunn (2015), Mark Jones (2003), Maurice McKendry (1991), Tony Herlihy (1985), Robert Cameron (1983), and Kevin Holmes (1978).

The next heats fields can be viewed click here

by Dave Di Somma for Harness News Desk