Sponsor Wendy Lamb presents Clark Barron with the trophy
for winning the Brothers in Arms invited drivers series
with his brother, Ken, at the Oamaru meeting on Saturday.
Photo by Colin Berry.
The Barron brothers, Ken and Clark, unseated the Butchers
to win the annual Brothers in Arms title at the Oamaru Harness
Racing Club's meeting on Saturday.
The series is in its fourth year.
Only one surname has been engraved on the cup. David and
Phillip Butcher teamed to win the title the last year and the
year before, and the father-and-son pairing of David and Zac
lifted the trophy in 2009.
But that all changed on Saturday, with the Barrons winning
the title with 12 points from North Otago favourites Matthew
and Nathan Williamson (10) and the Dunn brothers, Dexter and
John (nine).
Ken Barron left before the presentation, leaving Clark to
pick up the winner's cheque of $500 and a hip flask for them
each.
"It is great concept," Clark said. "Anything which helps the
sport is good."
The 52-year-old Invercargill driver has nearly 30 years'
experience and 931 career wins. He was a winner on Saturday
with Royal Impression.
He went close two races later with High Valour before being
run down by the fast-finishing Kid Galahad (Mark Purdon).
Trip's On Me made for an exciting spectacle in race 8.
Oamaru driver Matthew Williamson took the mare to an early
lead in the 2w+ trot, and led by as many as 12 lengths
halfway through the 2000m race.
It was bold move that paid off, as Williamson urged the mare
on down the home straight to hold off a strong finish from
Yankee One, trained by his father, Phil Williamson, and
driven by David Butcher.
The last race of the day was meant to be all about talented
reinsman Dexter Dunn. He was sitting on 999 career wins in
New Zealand and was driving the favourite, Optimo Denario,
seeking a third win from three starts.
Optimo Denario led for all but the last few strides as
You'renotthebossofme took over to win by half a length.
Dunn is still waiting for win No 1000. His best at the Banks
Peninsula meeting yesterday was a second on Castellina Lover.
The mare led from the 600m in race 5 but was run down by
Elusive Chick, which won by three-quarters of a length.
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