Who do you beat when you’re already the best?
If you’re Dexter Dunn the answer is simple, you beat yourself.
And as we enter into the final month of the harness racing season, the current world driving champion is on the cusp of further his own greatness with a new personal best win tally for 12 months of racing.
Three winners on Friday at Addington followed a brace at Forbury on Thursday night and all of a sudden Dunn’s magical mark of 220 – which he set as a junior driver back in the 2010 and 2011 season – is in serious jeopardy.
He currently sits on 215, one win shy of his second best ever tally of 216, a mark which he should, by the laws of averages, meet at today’s Timaru Harness Racing Club meeting at Phar Lap Raceway.
Incidentally though, the six wins that Dunn requires to break new ground is exactly how many wins he also needs to bring up his 2000th New Zealand driving success – a feat he in which he will become both the fastest and the youngest to achieve.
Today’s meeting will give Dunn the perfect opportunity to really hammer home towards the target with a strong book of drives.
Traditionally the Timaru track hasn’t been a wonderful one for him with just 61 of career wins coming on the surface which pales in comparison to some of the other Canterbury tracks.
Debutant, Master Moonlite, in the final race of the day looks one of his best chances.
The Cran Dalgety trained two-year-old by Art Major from the Breeders Crown winning mare, Miss Moonlite has shown plenty of Mum’s ability in his workouts and trials and is expected to go close on debut despite his inside of the second line draw.
Dunn’s first drive of the day is also a leading prospect.
The Fred Fletcher trained, Mikey Maguire, showed plenty of promise early on in his career and looked right on song for a big return to the track from a spell with an eye-catching performance at the Rangiora trials last week.
The big pacer has a huge motor and with Dunn in the bike he’s expected to start a dominant favourite in a big maiden field today.
Dunn’s other drive’s for the day include good chances in; Time Traveller, Born Again Delight, Cullens Joy, Boomer Bailey and Goodtime Gamble.
All are more than capable of winning, which leaves Dunn in a very good position to reach even higher ground.
