Never mind there are more than six months to go, the real interest for statisticians and hardcore harness followers has started in January.
Eight-time driving premiership winner Dexter Dunn appears to have a genuine contest on his hands.
David Butcher has pushed him close at various times in his eight-year reign, but Blair Orange looks on track to go even closer.
''We are good mates, we travel everywhere together. We actually don't even really talk about it.''
Dunn knows, though, that he is in a race, which he thinks is a positive.
''I will be doing my best to win it, that's for sure.
''It is good. People like change and I am one of those people too.
''I am sure if it comes down to it, Blair will get a lot of support.''
Orange came into yesterday's meeting with a five-win lead on Dunn. Dunn clawed two back on his counterpart, notching four wins to Orange's two.
The reigning driving champion scored a double with Timaru trainer Graeme Telfer's Red Hot Poker in race 2 and Boomer Bailey in race 7.
Dunn and Boomer Bailey turned their contest into an enthralling spectacle. The reinsman unleashed a 27.0sec penultimate 400m in front, giving his rivals plenty to chase.
They backed that up with a 28.0 final 400m to score over a steadily closing Cable Beach.
Dunn let the pacer sprint hard down the back straight because he was travelling so well.
''He felt super today. He's a good frontrunner.''
Boomer Bailey's winning time of 3.11.59 eclipsed Torrid Bromac's previous open 2600m mobile track record by 0.3sec.
Dunn expects further improvement from Red Hot Poker after he won race 2 in easy fashion.
''I didn't pull the plugs on him and he was mucking around up the straight like he could have gone on more.''
Later in the programme, Dunn scored with Eamon Maguire in race 9, giving trainer Graeme Anderson a lift after his pacer Titan Banner's Australian campaign was cancelled.
Open-class pacing star Titan Banner is heading to Otago, rather than Australia. The former Southern pacer was booked to fly to Australia yesterday but those plans were cancelled at the last minute.
Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen had previously planned a Victorian racing campaign culminating in a Hunter Cup bid.
Anderson confirmed yesterday the pacer would not only miss the Australian trip, but would head to the spelling paddock, which would see him out of all autumn racing.
''He is coming home,'' co-owner and former trainer Graeme Anderson said. ''There is no plan. He will have eight weeks off down here. There is plenty of good grass at home.''
Dunn and Anderson also combined to win Oamaru's last race with Espresso Martini.
The way Orange drove at Oamaru yesterday was typical of his brilliant recent driving form and showcased exactly why he leads Dunn in the national standings.
Racegoers were labelling his steer on Gucci Cavallo in race 5 the drive of the day, despite only half the programme being completed.
Orange let his charge sprint home in a 27.1 final 400m to score.
''He was able to dictate the speed and he travelled quite strong. He was quite strong about the 600m and carried on through the bridle from there.''
The Wendy Stevenson-trained pacer has now led in his past two starts and Orange thinks his standing-start ability is one of his key weapons.
''Definitely the key is manners early puts him in the race.''
Orange also led after a midrace move to score on Paul Court-trained pacer Hilarious Magic in race 3.
The driver worked the horse to the lead in the middle stages, leaving an inch-perfect amount of petrol in his tank to nose out Speedy Mach.
''He was good and he had to be good, the way he was driven.''
Orange expects the 3yr-old to keep improving as he learns more with race experience.
''He has a wee while to go mentally before he shows true worth.''
-By Jonny Turner
