Racing: Here Comes Pat sets record

Here Comes Pat lowered a 12-year-old track record when she overcame a 50m handicap to win in 3.28.8 for 2700m at Forbury Park last night.

Her time took a second off the previous best for a trotting mare on the track, set by Fleur's Invasion.

The record for all genders is 3.27.9 set by the champion David Moss in 1993.

Here Comes Pat, trained by Phil Williamson, has won her last three starts. She has been driven each time by Nathan Williamson, who used her staying ability last night. He improved Here Comes Pat three-wide from the 1000m, reached the front at the 500m and the mare won by three and a-quarter lengths.

• Jack Trainor and Tim Williams, members of the South Island team for the New Zealand Junior Drivers' Championship at Addington tonight, drove winners last night.

Trainor drove Lady Brownhouse, trained on the track by his father, Daryl, owner of the Washington VC filly.

Williams won the race for junior drivers with Land A Dream, owned and trained by Raewyn Law. Her late husband, Derek, won the 1984 Forbury Park Four-Year-Old Championship with Regal Maina.

Williams, who is in his final season as a junior, won the New Zealand Championship last season.

Simon Lawson, the winner in 2010, and Zac Butcher, the 2009 winner, are in the North Island team tonight.

Butcher is the leading junior this season with 108 wins.

Williamson is second with 86.

• The win of Town Icon last night was a family affair. Town Icon was trained and driven by Chris McDowell. The gelding is raced by Chris, his father, Bruce, and uncles Lex and Hugh.

• Telescope, owned by Denis O'Connell and trained by Darryn Simpson, has won the $500 cash prize given by the Washington VC syndicate for the filly or mare accumulating the most points racing at Forbury Park during the season.