Race duties welcome respite for Orange

Blair Orange
Blair Orange
Leading driver Blair Orange will get a chance for a well-earned break when he takes to Ascot Park for nine drives on tomorrow's card.

Though, obviously, he will not take a break from racing itself, the country's leading reinsman so far this season will take time out from the increasing spotlight his career has been under recently.

After Orange's sensational start to the new season and his main rival, Dexter Dunn's, relatively slow start - by his impeccably high standards - television, social media and other outlets are ready to crown Orange this season's national driving premiership winner.

The problem is there are still more than eight months to go in the harness racing calendar.

For that reason, you are unlikely to hear Orange bring the topic up himself, as he just wants to keep his feet firmly on the ground right now.

``If there was only a month to go it would be all right, but it is still months away,'' he said.

So despite him recently travelling, driving and winning races more than he ever has, ironically, it is on the track where he will find some respite from the effects of his whirlwind start to the season.

Orange opens his book tomorrow in race 1 with the Paul Court-trained Sarah Burt, who ran a creditable sixth on debut in a handy field at Addington.

In a weaker field tomorrow, the horse would be among his leading chances, he said.

Orange was even more impressed with the debut effort of the Court-trained Direct Control, who lines up in race 10.

But he hopes the horse has improved his ringcraft since that slightly wayward debut, to help his chances tomorrow.

``He went really well at Addington, but he did so much wrong - but if he behaves, he could win.''

Orange also drives Court's last-start Ascot Park winner Eye Candy, who may have to lift her game to be competitive against a stronger field in race 8 tomorrow.

And he will drive Nigel McGrath pair My Wee Man in race 5 and Karmic Way in race 9.

Both are solid win chances, though My Wee Man's draw inside of the second row means he will require luck, Orange said.

The reinsman will also steer Spotlight The Valley in race 3 and Eagle Galleon in race 11, both for trainer Robert Wilson, as well as the Paul Ellis-trained T C Business in race 2 and the Kirstin Barclay-trained Senorita Margarita in race 7.

Though Orange is the sport's superstar driver of the moment, somewhat bizarrely, he has not been able to secure a superstar New Zealand Cup drive.

On Monday the reinsman will head to Kaikoura, where he will drive his confirmed New Zealand Cup steer, the progressive Buster Brady, in the group 2 Kaikoura Cup.

``It is his first real go at this top level and he is running fourths and fifths; his Methven Cup run was good.

``He is probably going to take another year to mix it with the best horses.

``To be fair, he probably can't win the New Zealand Cup, but if he runs in the top six we will be rapt.''

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