It’s already been an action-packed couple of days for the country’s leading driver Blair Orange as he heads to Cambridge today to drive at the new Tuesday meetings.
Today’s meeting will feature seven races, starting at 4.57pm, to be followed by Winton on Thursday, Auckland and Addington as the venues for Friday Night Lights and then the annual Blue September fund-raiser will kick off at Ashburton on Sunday.
Orange has four drives tonight. He drove three winners at Rangiora on Sunday to go to 114 for the year. The six-time New Zealand champion driver has an 11-win in 2024 over closest rival John Dunn.
He then headed to Auckland on Monday with fellow Blue September ambassadors Robbie Close and Jonny Cox, only to jump out of a plane at 18,000 feet.
The skydive, a first for all three of the high fliers, was all about increasing awareness of prostate cancer and raising funds for the New Zealand Prostate Cancer Foundation.
By all accounts the trio, and Orange in particular, were fair buzzing afterwards.
In Race 6 at Cambridge tonight, the Dunstan Horsefeeds Mobile Pace (7.16pm) Close will drive Victor Bravo, while Blair Orange will go head-to-head with his son Harrison Orange, who has sprinted out of the blocks with three wins from his first eight drives. Blair will partner up with Blue Chip Lou while Harrison will drive the favourite, Potter.
Says Who is Nicky Chilcott’s best chance at Cambridge tonight
By Brigette Solomon
Cambridge based trainer Nicky Chilcott has three runners engaged at tonight’s meeting and she’s hopeful all are place chances at least on their home track.
The first runner, in Race 3, the Friday Steak Night At The Clubhouse Mobile Pace (2700 metres), is It’s Nae Or Never.
The well-bred three-year-old filly, by Art Major and out of Juice Brogden, has a win and two placings from 11 starts but hasn’t had a great deal of luck and on occasion has raced in some quality fields. Her last start on July 26 at Alexandra Park saw her sit three wide without cover for the duration of the race before fading in the home straight.
“She hasn’t really had the rub of the green but at the same time there have been occasions where she hasn’t helped herself just not doing things quite right,” says Chilcott, “from the draw tonight I’ll be driving her positively and I’d really like to see her win with a bit of luck.”
Up next is Del Shannon in Race 5,the Betavet Prepare Handicap Trot, where he starts off the unruly with a 20 metre handicap.
A winner of six races, the Muscle Hill gelding has won on this track over the 2700 metre trip, but his recent performance have resulted in lacklustre finishes. Chilcott admits he hasn’t performed to the best of his abilities in recent starts.
“He was awful last start and had every opportunity but just didn’t put in,” says Chilcott, “we’ve really changed things up with his training since then, increasing his workload and doing things a bit differently.”
“His work has been good and he’s well, so I’m hopeful he’ll show more interest tonight, as he is more than capable of winning in tonight’s field when he’s at his best.”
Chilcott’s final starter of the night is the three-year-old maiden Says Who in Race 7, the Hire A Venue At Cambridge Raceway Mobile Pace. The He’s Watching gelding has had just three starts to date showing improvement on each occasion. He most recently finishing fifth at Alexandra Park on August 16 showing grit to battle on well up the straight and finish 3.3 lengths from the winner Upstage.
“He’s quite a nice little horse but has just struggled around the final bend when going right handed at Alexandra Park,” says Chilcott, “he’s also encountered a couple of races with a slow tempo early and a sprint home which doesn’t suit him when he has to balance up on the home turn still and loses a bit of momentum.”
“I think he’s probably my best chance of the night, he’s been bright and happy since his last start and back to left handed tonight on his home track he should be a good chance.”
