Dwyer still undecided

Press, 23 September 1988, Page 31

Dwyer still undecided

Special correspondent Auckland Don Dwyer was still “in the dark” yesterday regarding who will drive the brilliant four-year-old Dillon Dean for the remainder of the season. Dwyer, who trains the horse at Takanini, said he had not talked with Dillon Dean's regular driver, Maurice McKendry, since the final of the DB Superstar series at Addington last week. “Maurice hasn’t said a word to me about it,” said Dwyer. “I understand he doesn’t want to drive the horse again, going by what he told my wife, Birdie, after the race. It’s his choice, not mine.” The rift between Dwyer and McKendry was not altogether related to the driver’s handling of Dillon Dean in the DB Superstar Final, when the horse — a hot favourite showing $1.40 to win — could manage only third. Dwyer was not very satisfied with McKendry’s performance behind Dillon Dean’s stablemate and travelling companion, Skip Hick, in an earlier race. “It would have been nice if Maurice and I had been able to have a chat about the whole thing, but he won’t even talk with me at the moment,” said Dwyer. Dwyer added Dillon Dean’s efforts at Addington “got to the bottom of him.” They were his first two runs for the season. In the first he lost all of 100 metres at the start and paced his last 2400 metres in 2:57.2 to finish fourth. “He’s going out for a break until he recovers. I was going to start him at Cambridge early next month, but I can’t see him doing so now. “He’s a top horse and top horses bounce back. We’ll just have to wait now and see when that will be.” Dwyer did not know yesterday who would replace McKendry as Dillon Dean’s regular driver.