By Jordyn Bublitz
A move to the North Island for former southerner Jacob Dunn wasn’t originally the plan.
The first year junior driver, and the older of John and Jenna Dunn’s two children, made the trip from Canterbury to help tend to a busy team at Robert and Jenna Dunn’s Pukekohe barn before deciding to make the move permanent.
“I got a good opportunity to get a few drives so that was the main reason for the move,” Dunn said.
“I’ve been up here since the start of March when the big racing kicked off, I’d come with our horses that were travelling, and things became quite busy.”
Since leaving the mainland the highlight so far has been his first win on northern soil with Allets at Alexandra Park on May 23. It followed his first ever success with Sophia Bromac at Addington in February.
“That was great, it was really cool especially getting my first win for grandad and mum. That was only my second win, and it felt good to get another one.”
Tonight, at Cambridge Raceway the reinsman will be chasing that winning feeling again. He pilots the Andre Poutama-trained Desert Dawn in Race 2, the NZMCA Parking at Cambridge Raceway Mobile Pace (6.03pm).
The five-year-old gelding won for Poutama two starts back, before a sixth at Cambridge on May 15.
“I thought his run last start wasn’t too bad, he burned early and was still firing on at the line,” said Dunn.
“He’s drawn tricky out wide but is well suited to having one run so hopefully they go a bit up front, and we can get over the top of them late.”
Jacob will also hit the track under the lights at Alexandra Park tomorrow night, with two drives for the Dunns’ Diamond Racing team.
In heat 3 of the Marlin Transport – Silk Road Northern Series, he takes the reins again of Allets.
“Last start was a good win, and she comes up with a nice enough draw again. She’s got good gate speed and seems to have come through that last run well.”
He also takes a drive in the last race of the evening, the Peter Alabaster Memorial Handicap Trot aboard Johnny Trotter (8.43pm).
“He’s come through his last start good. He’s been racing week in week out but its not affecting him at all. He’s just cost himself his last few starts not copping the bends that well but we’re hopeful we’ve gotten on top of that,” he said.
“There’s only two of us off the front so we’ll aim to make a quick beginning and try to make it harder for those back markers”
