NZ record smashed in $100,000 Trotting Derby

Promising 3yo trotter Highgrove (Love You) gave the Robert and Jenna Dunn training team their first Group One harness racing victory tonight, when he demolished a good field in the Breckon Farms (Gr1) 2022 $100,000 Northern Trotting Derby at Alexandra Park.

Highgrove took his record to 10 wins from 17 starts in the Derby tonight, breaking the race and NZ record in the process. The winners time of 3-20.72 broke Blitzthemcalder’s mobile 2700m record of 3-21.4 set back in 2013.

Driver John Dunn sent Highgrove to the front not long after the dispatch and set a very solid pace eventually beating Double Delight by more than two lengths with 10 lengths back to Hot To Trot in third. The mile rate for the 2700m was 1-59.6.

“I was holding my breath for that first 600m until I found the front but after that he got trucking,” John Dunn said after the race.

A happy Robert Dunn was pleased to get his first Group One win with Jenna as a training partner.

“Our first Group One for Jenna and I as trainers and our first Group One for the Newmans in 40 years of training for them,” Robert Dunn said.

“Jonny drove a great race he just let him roll, I think if he tried to take a hold of him it may have been a different result so great drive by him.”

“It was very pleasing for the whole team,” he said.

HIGHGROVE REPLAY

For complete race results, click here.

by Harnesslink Media