What follows is a breakdown of major statistical records for the 2018/19 NZ season (1 August 2018 – 31 July 2019 [no meetings 29/31 July]) excluding age group by gait winners and other categories that will be advised following 2018/19 NZ Harness Racing Awards to be held on Saturday 28 September 2018.
Personnel Stats :
Drivers –
Blair Orange continued on his winning way from the previous season having made his task of retaining the drivers premiership easier by foregoing the opportunity to represent New Zealand at the 2019 World Drivers Championships in Sweden in late May 2019 (Matthew Williamson represented New Zealand). Another double century haul of victories saw Orange with 218 victories (record 232) an easy winner from third time centurion John Dunn (107, best of 109).This was Blair Orange’s sixth successive year for breaking a century of wins which included bags of six wins on two occasions and five wins on another, all at Manawatu Raceway during the latest season [Maurice McKendry recorded six wins at Alexandra Park in October 2018].
Orange again accumulated a large number of victories at Palmerston North’s Manawatu Raceway where his 50 driving successes during the season surpassed his 46 in 2017/18 with all winning drives being for Canterbury trainer Michael House). His UDR was a more than respectable .3348 from 1,074 drives.
Third on the premiership was Tim Williams with 90 wins (best ever season), Matthew Williamson (87), leading northern driver Zachary Butcher (80) and Ricky May (77), back in the top six for the thirtieth time in the past thirty one seasons.
Tony Herlihy became the first driver in New Zealand to record 3,500 winning drives when successful at Alexandra Park on Friday 7 June 2019. John Dunn recorded his 1,000th winning drive at December’s Akaroa TC meeting at Motukaraara.
On a UDR basis of those with more than ten drives, Natalie Rasmussen with 32 wins from only 70 drives (0.5825), Mark Purdon, forty nine wins (0.4926), Megan Teaz (.3687) and amateur driver Sheryl Wigg with eight wins (0.4359) led the way.
In the junior ranks, John Morrison, was ultimately an easy winner of the Junior Drivers Premiership with 63 wins placing him eighth overall in the Drivers premiership. He also recorded his one hundredth career winner near season’s end. Very respectable performers came from place getters Sheree Tomlinson, Ben Hope and Mark Hurrell. Mid Canterbury junior Sarah O’Reilly’s final heat win gave her a slender points victory in the NZ Young Drivers Championship [5 July Addington/7 July Rangiora] with fellow Cantab’s Kimberley Butt second and John Morrison third. O’Reilly is the fourth female to win the title after Lauren Pearson (1998, 2002), Michelle Neilson (2014) and Alicia Harrison (2018). The Darren de Filippi Memorial Trot for Junior Drivers was again this year won by Mark Hurrell on Never Mind (2018 Redwood Invasion), one of thirty five winning drives for the season.
Sheree Tomlinson was a dominant winner of the Australian Young Drivers Championship held in Queensland (Redcliffe and Albion Park) over three days in late November 2018. The winner of three of the nine heats together with two second placings, Tomlinson held a twenty one point advantage over local Queenlander Nathan Dawson and NSW’s Chris Geary.
Ladies were again to the fore in the Amateur Drivers Premiership holding three of the six leading positions, two of them being sisters Sheryl and Cheree Wigg. The Amateurs premiership went the way of Sheryl Wigg (nine wins) from Alan Edge (five), Colleen Negus (four) and joint fourth place getters Cheree Wigg, Jeff Darby and Blair Wilmott (three wins). The Amateur Drivers Championship was won by Blair Wilmott who recorded wins in both of the Cambridge heats and a third in the final heat (heat five) at Rangiora.
Leading Driver : BLAIR ORANGE, 218 wins (1,074 starts), $2,063,090, UDR .3348, 1,825 lifetime NZ wins
Leading Junior Driver : JOHN MORRISON, 63 wins (702 starts), $573,541, UDR .1632
Leading Amateur Driver : SHERYL WIGG, nine wins (26 starts), $44,408, UDR .4359
Trainers –
The Trainers Premiership was won for the sixth successive year by the All Stars team of Mark Purdon/Natalie Rasmussen team (115) while the challenge from the Robert Dunn stable (operating two stables – Pukekohe, Woodend Beach : son John) resulting in them breaking the “ton” for the first time, with a new training record of 105 victories came up just a little short of premiership winning status. Michael House courtesy of 50 victories at Manawatu meetings throughout the season finished in third place with 98 victories, another new seasonal training record (topped 400 training successes in April at Hawera). This included training seven winners (from nine races) at Manawatu’s 12 February 2019 meeting, six winners at Manawatu’s 13 December 2018 meeting (four winners on first day as well) and five on 9 April 2019, also at Manawatu. Greg and Nina Hope rounded out the top four for South Island based trainers with (60) victories.
Leading northern trainer was Tony Herlihy (54) finishing fifth overall with brother in law Barry Purdon sixth (46) and leading Southland trainers Kristen Barclay and Paul Ellis next with 38 victories.
During the latest season Robbie Holmes passed the five hundred win mark in early October 2018, Michelle Wallis achieved the same feat at the final Auckland meeting of the season (fourth female trainer to do so; 323 in own name and 177 with Bernie Hackett with 304 being trotters/ others all trained in partnership – Natalie Rasmussen, Catherine Butt, Nina Hope), Mark Purdon went past the 2,200 training wins milestone (908 on own, 558 with Grant Payne, 764 with Natalie Rasmussen), also training his one hundredth individual Group One winner – Self Assured in Queensland Derby win; brother Barry is fast approaching 2,500 training successes (2,480).
New Zealand Cup Week 2018 was taken to another level by the training partnership of Purdon/Rasmussen when they produced twelve winners from starters in fifteen of the twenty four races held over the two day meeting. Eight of these came from starters in nine races on NZ Cup Day, yet another NZ record nine of the twelve race programme, another NZ record. This included two Group Ones (NZ Cup, NZSS – 3c) and a Group Three event. The Purdon/Rasmussen combination jointly held the previous NZ record of seven winners achieved on three occasions (including NZ Cup Day 2014) with Roy and Barry Purdon and Mark Purdon and Grant Payne.
Both Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen drove four winners on Cup Day. In addition, Mark Purdon joined Ces Devine and James (Scotty) Bryce as the leading trainers with six NZ Cup winners (Il Vicolo twice, Adore Me, Lazarus twice, The Fixer). Capping the week off was a further four winners from starters in six races on Show Day (one Group One NZFFA). Later in the season, the training partnership recorded six wins in one evening at Addington, a night where Mark Purdon also drove the six successful winners (22 March 2019). On NZ Oaks night in May 2019, a further bag of five winners and on Harness Jewels day at Addington (1 June), the All Stars combination trained five of the nine age group winners (one less than 2018’s six winners).
Leading Trainers : MARK PURDON & NATALIE RASMUSSEN, 115 wins (342 starts), $4,516,304 UDR .4828, lifetime NZ wins for this partnership in only six seasons – 2013/4 – 2018/9 of 764 from 2,399 starts
Record Breaking Stats :
In common with recent seasons, another round of sensational record breaking time performances were registered during 2018/19.
The seasons NZ records were :
Pacers –
2 Year Olds :
1980m mobile One Change (colts & geldings) 2:19.6 Addington
1980m mobile Amazing Dream (fillies) 2:21.4 Addington
3 Year Olds :
1980m mobile Ultimate Sniper (colts & geldings) 2:19.0 Addington
1980m mobile Belle Of Montana (fillies and national female record) 2:20.5 Addington
2600m mobile Princess Tiffany (fillies) 3:08.2 Addington
2700m mobile Best Western (fillies and national female record) 3:16.4 Alexandra Park
4 Year Old & Older :
1700m mobile Elle Mac (mares/overall) 1:57.9 Alexandra Park
1980m mobile Elle Mac (mares/overall) 2:21.7 Addington
1980m mobile Cruz Bromac (horses & geldings/overall) 2:18.5 Addington
2200m stand Star Galleria (horses & geldings/overall) 2:39.7 Alexandra Park
2400m stand Eamon Maguire (horses & geldings/overall) 2:54.2 Ashburton
2400m mobile Please Shuddup (horses & geldings) 2:53.3 Central Southland Raceway
2400m mobile Melina Lowe (mares) 2:53.6 Central Southland Raceway
2600m mobile Princess Tiffany (fillies) 3:08.2 Addington
2600m stand Thefixer (horses & geldings/overall) 3:10.0 Addington
Trotters –
2 Year Olds :
1980m mobile Ultimate Stride (colts & geldings) T2:27.7 Addington
1980m mobile Tailored Elegance (fillies) T2:28.4 Addington
3 Year Olds :
1980m mobile Enhance Your Calm (colts & geldings) T2:28.3 Addington
1980m mobile Cheerful (fillies/overall) T2:28.8 Addington
2600m stand Oscar Bonavena (colts & geldings) T3:18.1 Addington
4 Year Old & Older :
1609m (1 mile) stand Mortician (horses & geldings/overall) T2:03.4 Alexandra Park
1609m (1 mile) mobile Marcoola (horses & geldings/overall) T1:54.5 Ashburton (equals all comer
1700m mobile Lemond (horses & geldings/overall) T2:01.6 Alexandra Park
1980m mobile Sundees Son (horses & geldings/overall) T2:25.3 Addington
1980m mobile Theodosia (mares) T2:27.6 Addington
2200m mobile Marcoola (horses & geldings/overall) T2:41.3 Alexandra Park
2200m stand Pres The Belle (mares) T2:47.5 Alexandra Park
2700m mobile Massive Metro (horses & geldings/overall) T3:21.1 Alexandra Park
Leading Sires/Broodmare Sires/Stake Earning Pacer and Trotter :
Bettors Delight was crowned leading sire for the eighth consecutive season. He again took out all individual pacing siring titles as well as overall leading sire proving what a dominant broodmare siring force he will be in years to come, already fifth on latest seasonal list overall.
For the second season running Majestic Son topped both the stakes won and leading trotting stallion for winners produced. Sundon still figures as the five year old and older age group category leader as seen below while Muscle Hill led the two year old trotting section.
Christian Cullen and Sundon continued their dominance in the broodmare sire categories.
Leading Sires –
Overall Combined Gaits – Stakes : BETTORS DELIGHT ($7,405,792)
Overall Combined Gaits – Winners : BETTORS DELIGHT (188 winners)
Pacers : Stakes/winners : BETTORS DELIGHT ($7,374,175, 187 winners)
Trotters : Stakes/winners : MAJESTIC SON ($1,822,055, 72 winners)
2yo Stakes/Winners : BETTORS DELIGHT ($1,041,573, 14 winners)
2yo Trotters : Stakes/winners : MUSCLE HILL ($234,353, 6 winners)
3yo Stakes/Winners : BETTORS DELIGHT ($2,787,970, 68 winners)
3yo Trotters : Stakes/winners : MAJESTIC SON ($507,887, 24 winners)
4yo Stakes/winners : BETTORS DELIGHT ($1,615,334, 57 winners)
4yo Trotters : Stakes/winners : MAJESTIC SON ($1,045,869, 36 winners)
5yo & older : Stakes/winners : BETTORS DELIGHT ($1,961,405, 49 winners)
5yo & older Trotters : Stakes/winners : SUNDON ($883,588, 29 winners)
Leading Broodmare Sires –
Stakes : CHRISTIAN CULLEN ($3,698,289)
Winners : SUNDON (132 winners)
All 2yo Stakes/winners : FALCON SEELSTER ($515,342, Bettors Delight 9 winners)
All 3yo Stakes/winners : CHRISTIAN CULLEN ($1,204,872, 40 winners)
All 4yo Stakes/winners : CHRISTIAN CULLEN ($1,207,685, 46 winners)
All 5yo & older Stakes/winners : SUNDON ($1,576,846, 70 winners)
All Trotters Stakes/winners : SUNDON ($3,131,476, 132 winners)
Leading Stake Earners –
Pacer : ULTIMATE SNIPER ($493,692)
Trotter : SUNDEES SON ($245,664)
Grand Circuit Pacing Champion Australia/NZ : TIGER TARA (375 points)
Grand Circuit Trotting Masters Australia/NZ : SUNDEES SON (200 points)
Peter Craig
29 July 2019
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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