Racing: Dickie could prove profitable for punters tonight

NZ harness racing trainer and driver Tony Herlihy. Photo / Martin Sykes

Junior driver Josh Dickie could be the man for punters to follow at Alexandra Park tonight and he hopes that will become a more regular occurrence next season.

The 20-year-old horseman will partner two likely favourites in Neville Vaughan (race four) and Bobbiemack (race five) as he looks to round out a breakout season.

His 41 wins this season put him fourth among a vintage crop of junior drivers and rank him the eighth-most-successful driver in the North Island this season.

Dickie also won the Australasian Junior Drivers Championships, got to drive on Jewels day and partnered a series of trotting stars to victories during the season, headed by Sovereignty, Paramount Geegee, Flying Isa, Real Deal Yankee and Great Getaway.

"It's quite remarkable for me, the season I have had," says Dickie, who has honed his craft under the tutelage of champion reinsman Tony Herlihy.

"At the start of the season I would have been thrilled to drive 40 winners, let alone all the good horses I have won behind.

"And to win the junior driver's series was a huge deal."

But the quietly spoken driver, the son of Cambridge trainer John Dickie, says he wants to go further next season.

With Dexter Dunn's junior career finishing, Dickie will join young guns, such as Mathew Williamson and Zac Butcher in competing to be our best junior driver next season.

"I'd love to win that premiership next season," says Dickie.

"I think it is possible if I can get as many drives as Zac and Matty, so I will be chasing it."

Dickie could count himself the most improved junior driver in the country, adding some aggression to his naturally patient style.

"I think when you are on a good horse, like the best horse in the race,it is important to drive them that way."

Dickie is undoubtedly on the best trotter in race four tonight but he will have to be as Neville Vaughan faces a 55m handicap, one rarely overcome at Alexandra Park.

He has earned that with four wins on end but meets key rival Perigo 15m worse off than last time they clashed three starts ago, although he did beat him home by 20m on that occasion.

"He is racing so well I think he can win again but it won't be easy," says Dickie.

"But it is not a big field and I think I over-drove him last start, so he can go better than that."

Both Neville Vaughan and his stablemate from the Kevin Townley team in Burano have been caretaker trained recently by Dickie's father, John, and the young driver says family advice suggests Neville Vaughan is the one to beat again.

Bobbiemack also faces coming from off the speed in race five when he steps up in grade but Dickie's confidence is high.

"He won really well last start, improving on his previous couple of runs. I know this is a better field but I can't see why he can't win again."

With tonight's meeting run by the Auckland Trotting Club, the richer stakes have attracted bigger fields than have been seen at Alexandra Park in the past month, giving punters a better shot at some value.

One place they won't find much is with Delight Brigade in race six but even stepping up in class the 3-year-old should end his season on a high after a brave victory last Friday.

But the best pacer on show tonight will be worthless to punters, with champion 3-year-old Gold Ace to contest a non-tote Australasian Breeders Crown heat as he prepares to return to Australia seeking revenge over his Victoria Derby conqueror Sushi Sushi.

There will be plenty off attention paid to Addington tonight as punters chase the $100,000 terminating Pick6.

Weekend winners

Best Bet: Gangala (Alex Park, R8): Good resumption last start and drawn ace in weak field.

Each-way: Lisharry (Alex Park, R7): Gets a draw and David Butcher jumps in the sulky tonight.

Unlucky: Carter's Rocket (Addington, R1): Should have won debut, should get it tonight.

Value runner: Toggle (Alex Park, R1): Galloped last start but two earlier runs were very good. Odds could be all right tonight.

Go Again: Westminster Chapel (Alex Park, R3): Beaten by a smart maiden last Friday. Better than maidens.