It seems only a formality that Rory McIllwrick will win the McMillan Equine Feeds New Zealand Junior Drivers Championship series concluding at Forbury Park today after success in both heats at Addington last night.
McIlwrick drove Bettor Chance and Gypsy’s Choice to win at Addington to give him 34 points, 13 clear of his nearest rival, John Morrison.
McIlwrick has sound chances in Mr Majestic and Franco Huntington in the two heats today.
McIlwrick, the leading junior driver this season with 36 wins, has gained nine of those wins at Forbury Park, his home track.
Mr Majestic (race 7), who has gained three of his six wins at Forbury Park, became eligible when dropped a point in his rating after an unplaced effort in a stronger field there last week. A change of driver is not a problem for Mr Majestic, He has been driven by five different drivers in his wins.
Och Aye The Noo, one of his rivals, is on the same rating. She won narrowly in lesser company last week with McIlwrick the driver. It was her eighth win and she was re-rated six points. Katie Cox, who drove Woodlea Legend to win the 2014 Four and Five-Year-old Championship at Forbury Park, has the drive.
Franco Huntington (race 5) finished third at Forbury Park last week. He has minor placed in six starts since joining the Myross Bush stable of Doug McLachlan in March.
Sheree Tomlinson, the most successful female driver at Forbury Park this season, has drawn Uralla Sue and Midnight Fever in the junior driver championship heats.
Blazing Under Fire (race 2) is in line to complete a hat-trick of wins after success at his last two starts at Forbury Park.
Sweet As (race 8) is in the same situation. She was a runaway winner last week.
Glenisthebettor will not be among her rivals. “There is nothing wrong with her but the transport arrangement to Dunedin was no longer available,’’ said Robert Anderson, her trainer.
The points table in the NZ Junior Drivers Championship:
Rory McIlwrick 34
John Morrison 21
Katie Cox 20
Kimberly Butt 17
Mark Johnson 14
Sheree Tomlinson 13
Matt Anderson 12
Ben Butcher 11
Tony Cameron 9
Jack MacKinnon 9
Dylan Ferguson 6
Robert Argue 2
Inter-Island Trophy:
South Island 117
North Island 51
Tayler Strong