Selwyn_Times: September 21, 2022

Selwyn Times Wednesday September 21 2022
32
RACING
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Sundees Son
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Top trainer Dunn inducted into
Addington Harness Hall of Fame
• By Peter Craig
TOP TRAINER Robert Dunn
has been inducted into the
Addington Harness Hall of
Fame.
The former West Melton-based
trainer was one of two inductees
– the other being two-time New
Zealand Cup winner Just An
Excuse.
The inductees were announced
at Addington Raceway on Friday
as part of the 20th Canterbury
Owners and Breeders night.
Dunn has been an elite
level horseman for nearly five
decades, His career started at 16
assisting Basil Lynskey before
joining Kevin Ryder’s stable
accompanying horses to the
United States and working for
Kumeu trainer Don Hayes.
On returning to New Zealand
he spent time working for
Addington Harness Hall Of
Fame inductees Jack Smolenski
and Jim Dalgety for whom his
first major driving victories came
as a junior driver with Bolton
Byrd in the Great Northern
Derby and Auckland Cup.
His driving stats – New
Zealand best season 1990/91
(36), overall 310 wins (108 at
Addington), NZ$2.464 million,
multiple Group One winners
(Master Musician four, Bolton
Byrd two, Ladys Rule, National
Glory, Lyndon Robert; seven at
Addington), 18 driving wins in
Australia (A$663,249) including
Victoria/Hunter Cups, inter
dominion heats (Albion Park;
Gloucester Park two), with
Master Musician.
Having trained at West
Melton, Broadfield, Woodend
Beach and now operating a dual
stable regime at Woodend Beach
(with son John’s wife Jenna)/
and Pukekohe, his impressive
training stats include his two
premierships in the past two
seasons (second previous six
seasons), five-time century of
winners in a season, four times
five winners in a single day
together with 24 four Group One
winners.
He has trained numerous
age group award winners plus
Trotter of Year/Harness Horse
of Year and Pacer/Harness
Horse of year including NZ Cup
winner – Mainland Banner and
dual Rowe/ANZAC Cup and
Dominion Handicap winner
Sundees Son.
In total Dunn has trained
Robert Dunn
1813 winners (662 Addington)
in NZ (fourth behind Purdon’s
– Barry, Mark and Roy) and
a further 26 in Australia. He
recently produced his 1800th
winner.
Just An Excuse – millionaire,
11th winner of two NZ Cups,
winning sixteen races in New
Zealand, four at Addington,
one in Australia. Combined
Australasian career stats showed
39 starts, 17-4-11, $1,035,068,
1:55.6NZ. Winner of nine
Just an Excuse
group races including five at
Group One level (Taylor Mile,
Messenger, NZ Cup twice and
NZFFA (twenty seventh NZ
Cup/NZFFA double).
Leading 4yo H&G pacing stake
earner for 2002/03 ($197,597)
and 5yo+ H&G pacing stake
earner for 2003/04 ($274,222),
Four year old entire or gelding of
year and Aged entire or gelding
of year.
Just An Excuse was trained
throughout his career by Robert
Mitchell at Raglan and driven in
all his races by his son Todd “The
Wizard” Mitchell for owner/
breeder/administrator Ollie
Haines and wife Irene.
Just An Excuse’s retirement
came to a premature end when
he suffered a paddock injury
breaking his leg and being put
down in June 2008.
Just An Excuse is the latest
inductee into the Addington
Harness Hall Of Fame.
– Harness Racing Desk
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