Sundee’s Son won 11 races and $631,000 during the season.
Sunny, the trotter who loves a cuddle, trumps top pacers for Horse of the Year award
By Barry Lichter • 5 March 2022
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.
More news in Harness
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34 more meetings in the north next season as Auckland reclaims Friday nights
No way to sugar coat it - it’s tricky to predict what Sugar Ray will do on Friday night
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Major Achievement
5.19pm
“It’s his first race for a while and he hasn’t been setting the world on fire at the workouts. But he’s been racing better animals and this isn’t a stellar bunch. He’s a chance if things go his way. I’ve given Mathew Salaivao the drive.”
Race 1: Commander Lincoln
5.19pm
“He’s an average horse but the last time he raced here in amateur company he all but won. He’ll need luck from the second row but, while I couldn’t label him, he’s a runner’s chance.”
Race 5: Onyx Shard
6.59pm
“She got a bit sick for a while with a virus and I had to back off her. She seems over that now but I’m picking she’ll need a race. This will be like a glorified trial for her.”
Race 8: My Copy
8.14pm
“He came to the end of it so I gave him a little freshen-up and he seems in good shape again. It will be interesting to see how he goes fresh - he may need a race but he’ll appreciate the step-down in class. I’m running him here so he doesn’t come up against any bear cats first-up.”
Race 9: Lincoln Cove
8.47pm
“Hopefully he’s getting better but you’ve just got to take him on trust. He has ability but the desire has been sadly lacking. Zac will have to sit quietly on him as he broke when given only one tap with the stick last time. The small field will suit him as he won’t be too far off them. If he doesn’t make any mistakes, he’ll give them a fright.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Leo Lincoln
6.43pm
“Maurice said he would have finished a lot closer last time than sixth (fourth or even third) had he not locked wheels at the 100. That took all his momentum away. He’s been holding his form well and he gets out well enough to use the inside draw. He’s a chance to get some of the money.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.39pm
“He did have marks on his boot after his last run and trying a spreader on him has helped. But he’s a real baby. He has real ability but he’s still developing mentally and physically and we’re still finding our way with him.”
Race 5: Lincoln Lou
7.39pm
“He’s racing well but he’ll find it tough from the outside draw.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.07pm
“I can’t see her improving enough to give the Purdon/Phelan trio a fright. She can go (fast) enough but still has a lot to learn. The main thing for her is getting round safely. She’s put two in a row now so hopefully she’ll start improving.”
Race 10: Lincoln La Moose
9.59pm
“He had an excuse last time - he got wiped out on the first corner and that was the end of his race. I like him, he’s a nice horse, just not quite as experienced as Frisco Bay.”
Race 10: Frisco Bay
9.59pm
“I lean towards Frisky as the better chance of our two. You can’t fault what he did the other night at Cambridge, and he seems to be on the improve. He’s more reliable than Lincoln La Moose.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 6: Captain Nemo
9.40pm NZ time
“I rate him a good top three chance. I’m really happy with the horse. It’s a decent drop in grade for him and I think maybe we roll the dice, go forward, and take our chances. As long as he doesn’t have to burn stupidly off the gate, if he can find the top, they’ll know he’s in the race.”
