Racing: Smiles aplenty if Dunn's favourite salutes

Smiling Shard isn't going to Addington to be the centrepiece in the Dexter Dunn show tonight.

But if the champion junior driver happened to reach the 200 seasonal milestone behind his favourite horse, that would suit trainer Cran Dalegty just fine.

Dunn started last night's Cambridge meeting on 198 wins for the season and could well be the first New Zealand horseperson to reach 200 for the season even before he makes it to Addington.

But if he doesn't achieve the feat in the north, he looks to have a certain winner in Smiling Shard in race five tonight. To reach the milestone driving the superstar colt would be fitting as he has provided the youngster with his two biggest career wins.

"We were talking about it the other day and I'd be thrilled for Dex to reach 200 behind one of my horses," said Dalgety, who is Dunn's boss.

"But the North Island trainers have been really good to him in the last few weeks and without their support he wouldn't be as close to 200, so I think everybody will just be happy to see him get there.

"Really, what he has done this season has been amazing."

Dalgety says he did not enter Smiling Shard for tonight's meeting simply to provide Dunn with an easy kill.

"He is here because he needs the run," he explained.

"We are taking him to the Breeders Crown in Australia and he has developed so much he needs to get some fat off his belly."

Crushing wins in the Sires' Stakes Final and Harness Jewels proved Smiling Shard is our best juvenile pacer - but Dalgety warns he is probably even better now.

"When he was winning those big races he was a little skinny thing, like Terry Wright playing on the wing.

"He has kept on growing and filling out since then and now he looks like a prop. A fast prop."

While he hasn't trialled recently, Smiling Shard has been working well and looks an anchor for tonight's quaddie punters.

Dalgety also rates his chances later in the night with Fiji Babee and Jessica Vhea in race eight, and Holy Hero in the race 10.

"Holy Hero has been trialling well and I also don't mind Hilarious Life [race nine], although I think he might be about eight kilos overweight and could be better next week."