Banks Peninsula TC Competition Results: 2022/23

28 June 2023

The Motukarara grass track racing season is done for another year and our club competitions have been decided. The closest competition this season was the race for Filly or Mare of the Year. Some of the human competitions had a familiar ring, while others threw up new names on the leaderboards.

Colleen Breen Memorial Best Filly or Mare of the Year

Tiger Taylor (Art Major – Tiger Tina) and A Late Late Pressy (The Pres- Brite N Early) tied this competition with 10 points each, with Tiger Taylor winning on a countback. The Dean Taylor-trained mare scored two wins from her three starts at club meetings, one of those wins at Addington when Mot was closed due to grass track conditions.

Owners KR Shadbolt and Mrs VI Shadbolt earn a free service to one of Phoebe Stud’s stallions as a result of their mare’s performances.

A Late Late Pressy (Philippa Wakelin and Stephen Noble) was a worthy adversary, contesting five club races and scoring points on four of them, including one win.

Junior Driver of the Year, sponsored by Lindsay & Judith Blackmore and Fay & Fred Fletcher.

Sarah O’Reilly’s consistency shone out in this season’s Junior Drivers’ Competition. With two wins and a number of placings, Sarah amassed 32 points to win by a margin over Ben Hope (24) and Sam Thornley (23). All three are previous winners of the competition, and all once again prominently displayed their talents in front of our Motukarara (and Addington) patrons.

The depth of junior driving in Canterbury was again on show with no less than 41 drivers competing. While last season Sam Thornley was the only junior to exceed one win during the season, this time round there were seven. Kerryn Tomlinson lead that stat with three wins.

All three place getters receive a cash prize through the generosity of the Blackmore and Fletcher families, long-standing supporters of this event.

Driver of the Year, sponsored by The Famous Grouse Hotel, Lincoln

This year it was the turn of Blair Orange to take out the Drivers competition, with the Dunn stable having a quieter presence than in recent years. Blair, who won the comp. in 2019 and 2020, this time around collected 58 points including the maximum of five in eight races. John Dunn came in second on 51, followed by Sam Ottley on 40 and Ricky May on 36.

Blair takes away his $250 voucher courtesy of The Famous Grouse establishment.

Craythornes Hotel Halswell Trainer of the Year

Mark Jones led in the Trainers field this year to end a run of wins by Robert and Jenna Dunn. Mark collected five wins during the season and 40 points in total, with an impressive UDR from his 22 starters of .3182. Bruce Negus finished second on 30 points – just two wins for Bruce but six seconds – while Greg and Nina Hope came in third with 28.

Mark receives receive a $250 voucher from Craythorne’s Hotel or one of the Oxford Groups’ restaurants – Fat Eddies, Original Sin, Kong or The Bog. He also holds the Motukarara Trainers Trophy for one year.

Seahorse Supplements Trainers’ UDR Competition

On the UDR system Mark Purdon won the prize with son Nathan, taking the minimum of four to the races and scoring points with all of them, including two wins, for an excellent .6389. Mark also took third spot in partnership with Hayden Cullen (.4167), again just qualifying with the minimum starters. Squeezed between the All Stars was Brendon (Benny) Hill whose ten starters gave him two wins and an also impressive UDR of .4444

Mark and Nathan win a package of Seahorse Supplements products for their win.

Our thanks go to everyone who participated in club competitions in another action-packed harness racing season.

Full competition results here. 

Note: Banks Peninsula Trotting Club continues to align our competitions with the grass track season, when our race dates are scheduled between September and April.