Juniors share lead in Championship

Press, 8 March 1989, Page 46

Juniors share lead in Championship

Chertsey’s Graeme Ward and Bradley Anderson, from Auckland, share the lead in the Air N.Z.Robbie Burns Junior Drivers’ National Championship after the first round of the series at

Addington last evening. Ward, after working Corbett’s Corner into the clear, from the third line, late in the- piece, got

enough out of his charge to snatch victory from Laurene Dale (handy outer) by a nose in the first heat. Laurene Dale, driven by Allister Scott, was a length and a quarter clear of Kawatiri (Brent White), with another South Island reinsman, Roddy Butt, taking fourth with Leopadore. While the Southern drivers filled the first four

placings in the first heat, it was the turn of the northerners to fill the first four placings in the second heat. Anderson, born in Christchurch but now em-

ployed by Frank Cooney at Auckland, brought favourite, Difurn Fella home with a comfortable win, finishing strongly from the third line to defeat the pacemaker, Brave Heir (Michelle Wallis).

Georgie Lobell (Peter Ferguson) battled on for third, with Million Dollar Fella (Rocky Haddon) making ground next.

The second and final round of heats will be run at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting this evening. The New Zealand champion will join the leading South Island and North Island juniors to compete for their country in the Inter-Dominion Young Drivers Championship in New Zealand next month.

Leading points scorers after the first round are: G. Ward and B. Anderson 7; A. Scott and M. Wallis 5; P. Ferguson and B. White 4; and R. A. Butt and R. Haddon 2.