Orange eyeing NZ season victories record

AUCKLAND: The equation is getting pretty simple for Blair Orange.

With his first national driver’s premiership already secured, Orange needs nine wins in eight meetings to break Dexter Dunn’s New Zealand record 229 victories in a season.

A win a meeting and Orange shares the record; one better than that and it is his.

‘‘I suppose it sounds simple, but obviously fields are getting smaller and it is just a matter of getting on the right horses,’’ says Orange.

‘‘It is in the back of my mind, of course, because I have got this close, but what will be will be.

‘‘I’ll just take it one meeting at a time and if I can have a meeting where I win two or three that will take some pressure off.’’

That could even come at Forbury Park tonight. While Orange only has six drives, because two of the races are for junior drivers in the NZ champs, he has several winning hopes.

‘‘A lot of these horses are the same ones racing each other every week and I have a few who can definitely win,’’ says Orange.

He rates Jamies Bad Boy in race 7 his best hope, with a good draw and consistent recent form.

‘‘And the way Dusky Eyre [race 3] won last week he has to be a good chance, too.’’

Madaboy (race 1) and Armstrong (race 5) are also rated winning hopes, while Evangeline Franco at least has some winning form going into the last race.

A victory or two tonight could take Orange towards the record this weekend, as he races at Addington tomorrow and Ashburton on Sunday. — NZME