Racing: Champion aims to tame trickiest of tracks

Dexter Dunn. Photo / Christchurch Star

Racing's boy wonder has one last mountain to conquer as he completes one of the most successful years by a young New Zealand sportsman.

It is called Auckland.

Champion harness racing driver Dexter Dunn will partner hot favourite Smiling Shard in the $250,000 Sales Series Pace at Alexandra Park this afternoon as the Auckland track hosts its major day meeting of the year.

Trained by Dunn's boss, Cran Dalgety, Smiling Shard should be good enough to overcome a tricky draw in the feature race of a day containing five major races and a strong support card.

For Dunn the Auckland racing scene is proving the hardest in Australasia to master.

While he has smashed records all over New Zealand, Dunn has enjoyed limited success in Auckland.

His fate is not uncommon for visiting horsemen, who often take time to adapt at the right-handed track and the urgency of its racing style.

"I was told when I first came up here it would take me a while to get used to it but I feel more confident now," said Dunn.

"Half the problem is the racing up here is so competitive. But I think Smiling Shard is the right horse to get me a big win."

The 20-year-old smashed the previous record for wins by a New Zealand horseperson in a season when reining in 204 last season.

Dunn is on target to threaten that figure, but even more staggering has been his stake earnings - horses he has driven have won more than $3.1 million this year.

He earns 5 per cent of that figure and has driven more than 1200 horses this year at $65 a time, making him one of the highest paid sportsmen of his age living in New Zealand.

Other highlights this season included being voted Canterbury Sportsman of the Year, beating a guy called Ritchie McCaw.

So how does racing's most exciting young talent celebrate such an unbelievable year?

"I'm taking tomorrow off driving and going to the gallops at Ellerslie," says Dunn. "It will be nice to watch somebody else having to do the work for once."