Orange achieves major milestone

Blair “The Postman” Orange has gone where only three other New Zealand Harness Racing drivers have gone and has joined the elite 3,000 club.

Having carved out a wonderful career over twenty nine years, Orange is only the fourth driver to have driven 3,000 winners in this country. The others are Tony Herlihy, Maurice McKendry and Ricky May.

Tonight in a typical Blair Orange drive, he took the Gore trained Always A Menace (Always B Miki) forward from a good barrier, lead and won by a length and three quarters from Sandy Shore.

ALWAYS A MENACE REPLAY

“It feels pretty surreal. As a kid, to think you were ever going to do what those three legends of our sport have done is pretty overwhelming. I’m proud to be among that greatness,” an emotional Orange said after the win.

His first winner was Whizza Nova for Tim Butt at Reefton in December 1996 while his first feature win was The Tough Nut in the 2000 Invercargill Cup.

“It means a lot. It’s great to have the family here and doing it here at my home track, Addington. I’m very fortunate to have all those who have supported my career. It’s been hard work and I’ve put the hours in. I’m just lucky enough to get the support I get from the bottom of the south to the North Island.”  

Orange has driven 31 Group One winners, the first being Jays Debut in the 2005 New Zealand Two Year Old Championship.

276 of his winners have been for Michael House with good support from Ken Barron 197, Mark Purdon and Grant Payne 190, Mark Purdon 128, Mark Jones 108, Paul Court 103 and Mike Austin 100.

Highview Tommy at14, Republican Party 13, Krug 12 and Habibti Inta 11 have been his biggest winners.

One of Orange’s greatest achievements to date was winning the iconic Group One double – the New Zealand Cup (Cruz Bromac) and the Dominion Handicap (Habibti Inta) in 2019.

He’s won the New Zealand Drivers Premiership seven times and his best season (12 months) was in 2018 when he drove 232 winners – a New Zealand record.

Orange represented New Zealand at the World Drivers Championship in 2023 and again this year. Undoubtedly the win behind Always A Menace tonight has elevated his chances of taking out this year’s series.

It’s been a truly remarkable career with plenty more to come from the man they call ‘Sticks’ and ‘The Postman.’

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink