Orange smashes through record barrier

Leading reinsman Blair Orange has produced the greatest season by a New Zealand harness racing driver, officially breaking new ground with win number 230 at Addington last night.

Going into last night Orange still needed three wins to tie the old mark of 229 wins in a season, set by Dexter Dunn in last years premiership. 

In the end it was a cakewalk for Orange who finished up winning four races at the New Zealand Metropolitan trotting club racenight and he could be considered unlucky not to win a fifth when beaten a nose into second driving Sharnae in Race 6 for trainer Brad Mowbray. 

Orange won the first of his four win bag in Race 5, leading all the way with in form trotter Flyinova who was backing up from a win at Ashburton last weekend. The Jeff Wheeler trained trotter always had the field covered in front and was simply too good for his opposition over the extreme distance of 3200m.

His next win came in heat three of the South Of The Waitaki series when Whata Razzle Dazzle sprinted home in 55.8 seconds for his last 800m to grab a deserved win.

Blair then equaled the record 229 wins with another front running display on trotter Idle Moose, who won Race 9 convincingly after being very unlucky in his previous start when getting carted back on the turn.

It was only fitting that he broke the record driving the winner of Race 10 as well, getting home on a relative outsider in All Nuts And Bolts for his good friend David Pearce,who trains the Bettor's Delight gelding at his West Melton stables.

With another week still left in the season, Orange looks sure to build on that total and set a mark that will be very hard to break in years to come.

Harnesslink Media