Tomlinson needs six wins for cup drive

Sheree Tomlinson needs six more wins to be eligible to drive in the Group III Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup on October 2.

To drive in Group, Listed and at premier race meetings, drivers must have 15 career wins.

Tomlinson, a junior driver attached to Murray Brown’s Invercargill stable, has nine. Interestingly, she has also had nine seconds and nine thirds. Tomlinson knows it won’t be easy getting the six wins with a low number of South Island race meetings in the next two months.

‘‘It might be a bit early in the season [with few meetings] but I’ll try.’’

Continuing her frequent trips to Canterbury meetings will help. The first Southland meeting next season is at Gore on August 21. Three of her wins have been behind horses trained by her grandfather, West Melton trainer Ken Ford. One of his horses, Amaretto Sun, was driven to victory by Tomlinson at Addington last Friday night and on June 30. If Tomlinson can drive in the Banks Peninsula Cup, she will probably rein Amaretto Sun.

Tomlinson’s mother, Amanda, who drives, and grandfather combined to win three trotting races at a Banks Peninsula Trotting Club spring meeting last year. They won with Zachary Binx (Cup), Amaretto Sun and Soney Beatt. Moving to Southland earlier this year had benefited her driving career, said Sheree Tomlinson, who celebrates her 18th birthday on Thursday.

‘‘Murray [Brown] and other trainers have given me lots of opportunities.’’

Ken Ford’s Group I winning trotter, Marcoola, is in his fourth week of training. Ford and his son Clint own Marcoola, who won seven races in a row this season.