Harness racing statisticians were kept waiting in suspense last night after Forbury Park's 10-race card, but local trainer Graeme Anderson stole the show in the meantime.
Nathan Williamson was left hanging on 99 wins chasing his first century in a season, while his father, Phil, edged closer to 500 training wins with one victory on the night, leaving him on 498 wins since he began training in the early 1990s.
Driver Samantha Ottley has also set herself up for the double century, reining home Itz Risky Business to move to 199 career driving wins.
The country's leading driver, Dexter Dunn, nabbed another four wins to move to 212 for the season. He is now perhaps a chance of threatening his record of 220 set in 2010-11.
Dunn has three days of driving in New Zealand - Addington tonight and next Friday and Rangiora on July 24 - before taking an overseas holiday.
Dunn combined with Anderson for all four victories, steering home juvenile Eamon Maguire, Hopes And Dreams, Expresso Martini and Arden's Concord.
The talk was around for Eamon Maguire, a 2yr-old son of Art Major, and he duly obliged despite having some work to do to chase down Porsche Canardly in the straight.
"It was nice to get a soft kill and [Dunn] didn't knock him around,'' Anderson said.
Punters who backed the youngster into $1.40 had their hearts in their mouths shortly after the start when Eamon Maguire was checked.
"He had to be a nice horse to miss it because that horse galloped and I thought 'oh no, fancy this first up','' Anderson said.
"He'll go for a break now and he'll come back stronger.''
Hopes And Dreams is a recent arrival to Anderson from Roxburgh trainers Geoff and Jude Knight and it is fair to say Anderson was not hugely impressed by the filly's work during the week.
"She's not the flashest horse at home,'' Anderson said.
"But we got her fit then left her alone - she races 100% better than she trains.''
Hopes And Dreams is owned by Neville Cleaver and Kevin Strong, who bought her at the 2014 sales as a "very expensive broodmare'', Cleaver said.
"The plan was to get a few wins on the board then maybe later on get a nice Bettor's Delight colt out of her.''
Cleaver paid $50,000 for the son by Christian Cullen out of One Dream, who was New Zealand 2yr-old pacing filly of the year in 2005-06 and claimed the 3yr-old pacing filly of the year award the following year.
Amber Hoffman marked a milestone of her own when Mossdale Sue came up the passing lane to win a maiden 2200m pace to provide Hoffman with her first win from her Waikouaiti base since moving north from Westwood Beach last month.
Hoffman has had the 3yr-old for just two starts after she was transferred from Greg and Nina Hope's Woodend Beach base to Hoffman.
"She wasn't competitive up there [in Canterbury],'' Hoffman said.
"She's not very tough and she's only little but there might be one more win in there for her.''
Ideal Denario was claimed for $2500 by Wayne McEwan after a draw from four lots, and Four Starzzz Shiraz was claimed for $7500 by Gerald Cayford after a draw from three lots.
