Sunny, the trotter who loves a cuddle, trumps top pacers for Horse of the Year award

Sundees Son joined a select group tonight when he was named Harness Horse of the Year for 2020-21.

The Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained seven-year-old is only the eighth trotter to trump the pacers for the top award in the 53 years since the awards started.

The others were all heroes of their time - Monbet (2015), I Can Doosit (2011), Take A Moment (2002), Lyell Creek (1999), Merinai (1997), Sir Castletown (joint winner wth Steel Jaw in 1983) and No Response (1978).

Sundees Son won 11 of his 17 starts, amassing $631,005, with only two pacers earning more here in the extended 17-month season, Lincoln Farms’ Copy That, who was named four-year-old of the year and Self Assured, who took the five-year-old and older title.

The win was a triumph for driver John Dunn and owners and breeders Colin and Nancy Hair who told guests at New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight’s ceremony in Christchurch just how special the horse had become.

Hair, a small time breeder who breeds a couple of mares a year, described how humble he was when racegoers at places like Omakau and Invercargill came up to him to say how much they appreciated the chance to see the horse first hand.

“He’s not really our horse any more, he’s everybody’s horse.”

Hair paid tribute to everyone who had helped mould Sundees Son into the star he is today from Ross Houghton who broke him in to Craig Edmonds who spent so much time with horse in the early years “when he liked to gallop and we had difficulty getting him to show his true ability.”

Robert Dunn told how Edmonds was still so much a part of the team behind Sundees Son he had trouble even getting at him to brush his mane and tail.

“Craig lives for this horse and he’s an exceptional blacksmith. He can drive the horse and knows just how he feels and what he needs.”

Whether Edmonds was putting the equissage machine on the horse or a nebuliser, he was always talking to him, and ‘Sunny’ loved to cuddle up.

Dunn said he was surprised on one visit to North America how Swedish trainers there all knew about Sundees Son’s ability and said they’d love to get him to Sweden to compete.

Copy That … four-year-old entire of the year.“That was when he won the Rowe Cup and Anzac Cup as a four-year-old and since then he’s gone from a horse who could trot close to four minutes (for 3200 metres) to one who can go 3:56.

“Trotting people know he’s one of the best in the world.”

John Dunn said Sundees Son was “one in a million to drive.

“I can just loose line him and let him go. I haven’t driven another horse like him - when the others are getting tired, he picks up the bit.

“He’s won at all distances but it’s his staying power that makes him so good.”

Bettor Twist also joined an elite group when she became only the third filly since 2000 to win the pacer of the year award after Elect To Live and Carabella.

She won 12 of her 19 starts and $536,175 in stakes for Ken and Karen Breckon’s Top 10 syndicate.

Other awards

Outstanding contribution to harness racing: Tony Abell.

Owner: Jean Feiss, winner of 22 races, with horses like Self Assured, Amazing Dream and True Fantasy.

Breeder: Breckon Farms, who bred 28 individual winners of 86 races, including seven Group Ones.

Trainer: Robert Dunn.

Driver: Blair Orange.

An emotional John Morrison, the leading junior driver, accepts an award for the Unhinged best moment of the season.Junior driver: John Morrison.

UDR junior driver: Devon Van Til.

Pacing broodmare: Twist And Twirl, dam of King Of Swing.

Trotting broodmare: Stardon, dam of Sundees Son.

Pacing stallion: Bettor’s Delight, for the 11th year on end.

Trotting stallion: Muscle Hill.

Outstanding contribution to life after racing: Claire Madden.

Unhinged best moment of the season: John Morrison’s win on Time In A Bottle at Addington just days after his nine-year-old niece Charlotte McLeod lost her battle with cancer.