Race nights are busy enough for the thoroughbred trainer and former jockey but he had an extra job to do after race 2 — getting his photo taken with his winning pacer, Hit The Sky.
Mee races the horse with wife Ann, and Hit The Sky’s breeder, Phil Creighton and wife Margaret.
Hit The Sky’s win furthered endorsed Graeme Mee’s eye for a standardbred. The horseman has chosen three standardbreds to race and all have won. He and Ann previously raced Secrets Out, the winner of five New Zealand races, and Major Ben, the winner of three races here.
Both have been exported and performed with merit overseas.
The Creightons are hoping last night’s win was just a warm-up for New Zealand Cup day at Addington on Tuesday. The Mosgiel couple share in the ownership of cup contender Heaven Rocks.
The key to the horse’s chance in the race would be getting away as quickly as possible and not letting Lazarus get too far in front of him, Creighton said.
Hit The Sky’s success continued the remarkable run of driver Blair Orange who went on to win three more races last night.His
fine start to the season even has Orange shaking his head. But, as always, the humble reinsman is keeping his feet on the ground.
"Just things are happening — when you get the luck, you get the luck," Orange said.
"Things are falling the right way. Obviously driving for the right trainers is a big help."
Myboylolliepop and Sheza Trendy Monarch both won after the driver launched the horses into contention down the back straight.
Myboylolliepop sustained a long run to overhaul Kansas City Jim in the straight for his maiden victory in race 3 for trainer Murray Edmonds.
Sheza Trendy Monarch started her winning run at the 700m and hit the front before the turn. She won race 5 by a length and a-half.
Orange’s luck — or rather skill — enabled him to avoid early chaos in race 6 and he was able to guide Raphoe to victory for trainer Amber Hoffman.
The connections of Orange’s two big-race hopes of New Zealand Cup week — Buster Brady in the New Zealand Cup and Habibti Ivy in the Dominion — will be hoping the driver’s hot form will help their charges get off on the right foot. Buster Brady put in a fair cup trial, but Habibti Ivy has battled a foot issue.
Orange is eyeing three middle-grade pacers as his leading winning hopes next week.
"I have got a couple of nice chances, both Mongolian Storm and Mongolian Hero . . . and Goodlookin Chick, even though she is drawn the outside of the gate, she is in a race she can win," he said.
That race at Addington on Tuesday is a 2600m mobile for mares up to 63 rating.
Dexter Dunn scored a double in the sulky last night with Essence Of Easton (race 7) and Millwood Daisy (race 8).Trainer-driver Nathan Williamson won race 1 with Svelt.
Junior driver Laura McKay enjoyed success as an owner and driver of Ruthless Success in race 4.McKay’s victory, from the stable of her employer, Mark Jones, was her fourth career win in the sulky and first this season.
