Trots

Natural Guy.   From the first crop of Nat Lobell he had a good first crop but was spectacularly unsuccessful thereafter. 

The new Maryland Jockey Club and the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association announced $25,000 purse increases for a quartet of stakes races at Laurel Park on June 28.View the full article

By Jordyn Bublitz  Harrison Orange has a big few days ahead of him. He has four drives at Cambridge tonight, four more at Alexandra Park tomorrow and is listed to drive Goorambat Art at Ashburton on Sunday. Depending on how he goes he could book himself a spot in the Australasian Young Drivers’ Championships (AYDC) at Albion Park in July. He rates the Matthew White-trained Mhai Surfer Girl in Race 6, the Dunstan Horsefeeds Mobile Pace at Cambridge tonight (8.01pm) to be his most promising chance. “She’s been racing good and running on strong, it’s a smaller kind of field so hopefully we should be able to get over the top of them late.” Mhai Surfer Girl is currently a $1.80 favourite. He also thinks High Energy in Race 7 at Alexandra Park, the Garrard’s Horse & Hound Pukekohe Mobile Trot, can provide him with another win “She ran on really good last week after getting held up a bit, but if she can find a helmet to follow, she’s capable of coming at them strong late.” Greased Lightnin in Race 1, the Book Now For Mid-winter Christmas Mobile Pace, also looks a big chance.   Since driving his first winner with his first race day drive in August last year, Orange has achieved the sort of success most budding drivers dream of.  At only 18 years of age, he has amassed 44 wins, 40 seconds and 25 thirds from 243 drives and boasts an impressive UDR of .3213. “It’s pretty surreal to me,” said the reinsman, “the half points scheme for junior drivers has been a huge help, and a lot of trainers have supported me and put me on nice horses which I’m really thankful for and I’m definitely not taking it for granted.” Harrison accredits a lot of his success to his employers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan. He’s been at their Clevedon barn for around two years.  “They’ve given me a really good start, they’re pretty supportive putting me on a few of theirs and when I’d been doing a lot of travelling at the beginning of the year, they were really great to let me take the days off to do that.” Orange and Crystal Hackett are involved in a tight battle to be the top North Island driver and secure the fourth and final place for the AYDC. Wilson House, Sam Thornley and Carter Dalgety are already assured of going. The cut-off for AYDC is Sunday night and as of today both Hackett and Orange are tied on 36 wins. “Obviously it would be pretty cool to be able to go over there on my first year,” says Orange, “but hey, if I don’t it is what it is and I’m sure I’ve got plenty of time to try and get in again.” View the full article

Not far off . Our driver in photo was 4th to Royal Lopez with his horse Treasurer when Royal Lopez won his Sapling Stakes. The Future NZ Derby winner Game Adios was 5th in that race. 

With no confidence whatsoever Royal Lopez?