No-one’s won more Invercargill Cups than six-time winner Blair Orange, so leading into this Friday’s $100,000 Group 1 Ascot Park Hotel Invercargill Cup he talks about his favourite horses and memories.
By Dave Di Somma Harness News Desk
It was back in his days as a junior driver that Blair Orange won his first Invercargill Cup. It was with the Laurence Hanrahan-trained The Tough Nut in 2000.
Now he is a six time winner, the most in the Cup’s history.
“I was just a kid then, driving The Tough Nut,” says Orange.
“It was pretty cool because Laurence left me on because (regular driver) Ricky (May) was away at the Inter Dominions.”
And Orange didn’t let Hanrahan down.
“I had a good sit and we unleashed at the 600, he was airborne. It was unreal really.”
The Tough Nut and Orange went on to win by nearly 10 lengths, in 4:00.1. It was a race record (over 3200m) at the time.
“To go four minutes that was something back then,” says Orange.
It was Orange’s second win with The Tough Nut, who had eight consecutive victories in 1999-2000, and 15 overall from 44 starts.
Orange’s other wins have been with Harnetts Creek (2004), Highview Tommy (2011), Saveapatrol (2014), Johnny Fox (2015) and Classie Brigade (2017).
“They were all pretty special animals to be fair,” he says.
“Highview Tommy was one of the coolest horses I’ve ever been associated with.”
In the 2014 victory the Mark Jones-trained Saveapatrol beat a field that included three-time New Zealand Cup champion Terror To Love and 2015 champion Arden Rooney.
“He was a big horse, it was a shame he broke down, he could have gone a lot further.”
Over the years Orange has driven around Ascot Park countless times.
So does it have its own quirks or characteristics?
“Generally it’s an on speed track, it’s hard to come wide from too far back.”
Orange, who will win his seventh consecutive drivers’ premiership this year, will partner the Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained Dalton Shard on Friday against the hotshots like Republican Party, Rakero Rocket and Mo’unga.
Earlier this season the Always B Miki four-year-old showed his quality by winning two New Zealand Cup qualifiers in the Maurice Holmes Vase and the New Brighton Cup. His last start was a sixth in last Friday’s East West Fencing Summer Cup at Addington, won by Mo’unga.
“He’s not out of it, he’s got good manners and will get in the right spot.”
So can Orange make it seven Cups in 25 years?
“Its been a kind track to me and the Invercargill Cup has been a kind race to me.”
“It would be a good Christmas present wouldn’t it?’
