By Adam Hamilton
Dexter Dunn remains the only Kiwi connection still in contention to win the inaugural Ladbrokes Ultimate Driver Championship (UDC) after some unexpected twists on night one at Albion Park.
The first blow to the Kiwi hopes came before the first of the 20 heats in the series was run when Carter Dalgety’s best drive, Waikaka Magic, was scratched from race four on opening night.
It was $1.30 favourite and a win Dalgety needed to have any real hope of being a key player.
But it was another 21-year-old, Queensland’s Angus Garrard, who stole the show.
The five-time Queensland Junior Driver of the Year continually put his horses into great spots and that, along with wins in the second and fourth heats last night, has him leading by five points after the first 10 races.
“It’s better than where I expected to be with what looked like just an OK set of drives,” Garrard said. “It can all change quickly, but I’ve got a fairly good set of drives on night two, so I’m well placed/
“It’s just such an incredible buzz driving against so many superstars like this on my own home track.”
Dunn also drove two of the 10 winners last night and provided the “wow” moment of the night with his 24.3 metre win aboard Sports Bounty in race six.
Sports Bounty is a 12-year-old who was having his 259th start.
“They did well picking him for me in the draft, anyone could have won on him,” Dunn said.
Dunn finished third on night one, but 24 points behind Garrard in a series where you only get 17 points for a win.
Dunn’s best hopes in tonight’s remaining 10 heats are: Risk Taker ($4.60 in race five), Houston Street ($3.60 in race eight) and Joans Rising Star, the $2.60 favourite in the final race of the series.
It looks a big ask to win from where he is with the drives he has on night two.
WA’s Gary Hall Jr also had two winners last night and other consistent runs put him a close second to Garrard with 93 points.
Garrard does look to have a stronger book of drives on night two.
Brad Hewiit could be the big mover from fourth (on 65 points) with what looks the strongest book of all drivers tonight.
Global superstars Bjorn Goop, from Sweden, and the US’s Yannick Gingras, both won heats last night, but are too far off the pace in fifth and sixth spots.
Losing his best drive and some other disappointing runs have left Dalgety last on the points table after night one.
Leaderboard after night one :
98 Angus Garrard (latest NZ TAB odds: $1.85)
93 Gary Hall Jr ($3.50)
74 Dexter Dunn ($10)
65 Brad Hewitt ($4.50)
64 Pete McMullen ($18)
60 Bjorn Goop ($21)
59 Yannick Gingras ($26)
57 Nathan Dawson ($31)
51 Kate Gath ($201)
36 Carter Dalgety ($501)