Top junior driver in action
A CHAMPION will grace the Forbury Park track tonight.
Junior reinswoman Sheree Tomlinson will drive for the first time since winning the Australasian Young Drivers Championship in Queensland last weekend.
The 20yearold dominated the ninerace competition by picking up three wins.
The win followed a mammoth 12 months in the sulky for Tomlinson, who won the Dominion with Amaretto Sun at last year’s New Zealand Cup carnival.
A humble Tomlinson credited good luck for landing the championship win, cementing her status as one of harness racing’s rising stars.
‘‘I was pretty lucky, to be honest. In those races you need a good book of horses.’’
It looked welljudged drives had more to do with Tomlinson’s win than good luck.
A combination of both those factors could help her score more success tonight in her first drives since her championship win.
Canterbury pacer Pocket Call looks one of Tomlinson’s best winning chances, in race 7.
The Tony Barrontrained 4yrold drops back in class from the Show Day Futurity at Addington during the New Zealand Cup carnival.
Prior to his sixth in that race, Pocket Call was a good winner at Kaikoura.
‘‘I thought he finished on all right in the Futurity considering it was a nice enough field.
‘‘It is a drop back in grade. He has drawn the outside of the gate, but I don’t think that will worry him,’’ she said.
Tomlinson drives Michelle for her employer, Mark Jones, in race 5.
The 5yrold mare ran a good second placing at Orari last weekend and looks a big winning hope.
‘‘Obviously being on the unruly over 2200m is a concern, but if she trots the whole way and puts her right foot forward I would say she would be pretty competitive.’’
Tomlinson drives Hold On Arizona for Kohika trainer Noel Taylor in the opening race.
The pacer looks a solid chance in a small and largely outofform field.
‘‘She was a bit naughty from a stand in her last start, but if she behaves it is a small enough field and she has got a good turn of foot.’’
Tomlinson also drives Dying To See You for Taylor in race 8.
Her remaining drive is Shes So Right in race 2 for Weedons trainer Fiona Baigent.