A large number of local trainers will have their eyes fixed on the finishing line when the Marlborough Harness Racing Club stages its two-day summer meeting at Waterlea Racecourse.
The Marlborough leg of the 2016-17 Interislander Summer Festival, which involves 36 events at holiday venues from Ruakaka to Waikouaiti, takes place on Friday and Sunday.
The Summer Festival meeting has been held in Marlborough for the past 11 years, proving the biggest drawcard on the province's racing calendar.
It also offers a chance for local trainers to put their trotters and pacers to the test without leaving home, an opportunity nine Marlborough-based trainers have accepted.
At the forefront of the charge will be Dean Hunter. The experienced horseman has three trotters in training – Destiny Jones, Arditi and and Lady Beatrix Bourbon – and has enjoyed plenty of success with all three, claiming four wins, two seconds and a third on the West Coast circuit before Christmas. His most recent victory came with Destiny Jones, who won in Nelson on Sunday. Unfortunately, all three of Hunter's horses will go in the same race, the C1 trot, race five on Friday.
Other local trainers involved on Friday include Anne Marie Best, with two runners, Kaikoura's David Broadhurst, Mark Gill, who will harness up five including Gotta Ticket who placed in Nelson, Mark Heaton with two, Sandra Mounce, also with two runners including Clifden Clowers who picked up a couple of placings in Nelson, Pat and Mike O'Brien with four starters, Allan Shutkowski with the well-performed Molly Sims, and Brent Weaver who has five runners.
The number of Marlborough horses involved offers a good chance of a local winner, but they have to get past the in-form team on the top of the south circuit first.
Woodend Beach trainer Robert Dunn and his family enjoyed what Marlborough Harness Racing Club secretary Barry Forbes described as a "Dunn-fest" over the two days in Nelson.
Dunn trained six winners from the 22 races while his son John Dunn drove eight winners. Another son, Dexter Dunn, the country's leading driver, piloted four winners home.
Robert Dunn will race 10 horses in Marlborough, including Alta Orlando, a class performer and winner of the Nelson Cup. Forbes said he would "expect the Dunns to be dominant again".
Alta Orlando will race on the second day only, in the Peter Yealands Wines Marlborough Cup handicap pace, the main race on Sunday. It is scheduled to start at 4.49pm.
The first race on Friday begins at 3.17pm while the opener on Sunday goes at 1.25pm. The feature race on Friday is the Peter Yealands Wines Mobile Pace at 6.18pm.
Forbes said everything was set for two good days of racing, with the track in excellent condition and a vast programme of entertainment for young and old.
Kids will be well catered for with the More FM Kids Go Racing area providing free activities for under-12s, including a bouncy castle and lolly scrambles.
Children will also have the chance to design racing silks for world driving champion Dexter Dunn to wear when he defends his title at the 2017 Championships in Canada. The colouring competition winner will win a set of racing silks for themselves, presented by Dunn.
The popular Canterbury Kidz Karts display, featuring miniature horses, will be another attraction.
Admission is free for children under 18 years, with tickets costing $10 per adult.
Selections (by Barry Forbes):
Race 1: Tehoro Dazzle, Reign On Me, IW McNik
Race 2: Born Again Delight, Forget To Remember, Gotta Ticket
Race 3: Hayden's Meddle, Millwood Charity, Idealagain
Race 4: Crackabella, Man Of Steel, Tennyson Inlet
Race 5: Arditi, Muscles Galore, Destiny Jones
Race 6: Kitura, Sauchiehall, Dream To Reality
Race 7: Billy Badger, Molly Sims, Miss Daisy
Race 8: Flashing Diamond, She's A Flyin, Scottlynn Jack
By Peter Jones