Charlie Brown’s time is sure to come
Matt Markham - Raceform • December 20th, 2024 3:00 PM
You’d be hard stretched to find a pacer racing in New Zealand at present who is more deserving of winning a big race than Charlie Brown.
But at the risk of sounding like a record stuck on repeat, perhaps it’s this week, and the Gr. 1 Ascot Park Hotel Invercargill Cup on Friday might finally see Mr Consistent of the Canterbury racing scene get what he so richly deserves.
To put the Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained pacer’s last few months into perspective, he has finished second in the Maurice Holmes Vase and the New Brighton Cup, fourth in the Canterbury Classic and the Kaikoura Cup and most recently, second in the inaugural running of the Christian Cullen earlier this month.
“You’d like to think he’s due a decent one,” regular driver John Dunn told RaceForm. “But in all honesty, you’ve got to be proud of him, he’s done a great job this campaign and his time will eventually come - we’re certainly hoping that it might be this week.”
Off the back of his second behind Rakero Rocket in the Christian Cullen at Addington, Dunn said all the signs at home were positive that the four-year-old is set to continue his good run of form this week.
“I thought his run in the Christian Cullen was great. We had to sit parked for a bit and then go around them again on the home bend, so to pick up and run second was a big effort.
“He has come through the run super too, he’s a pretty good doing kind of horse and handles it all in his stride, so that’s not a real surprise – but he does seem really nice and bright.”
Dunn is fully aware that a front-line draw is a huge advantage with the horse’s good stand start manners and a 10-metre head start on key rivals Mo’unga and Republican Party.
“He’s a good beginner in that he’ll get away quickly, but he doesn’t muster heaps of speed early. Being out wide should help him I think, and we’ll be looking to find a good spot early.”
Charlie Brown is one of three runners for the Diamond Racing operation in Friday’s big event and Dunn is expecting the true version of Dalton Shard to step out on the Ascot Park Raceway.
He was the one beating Charlie Brown early on in the Cup lead-up but Dunn admitted that he wasn’t quite 100 per cent by the time the big races rolled around.
“He showed early on that he’s more than competitive in these types of races and we think we’ve got him back to that kind of form again.
“He’s really good from the standing start too and will put himself into a good spot early. We’re pretty happy with him and he’s capable of running a big race.”
Adding to Dalton Shard’s chances is the booking of champion driver Blair Orange, who is looking to claim his seventh Invercargill Cup and add to wins with The Tough Nut, Harnetts Creek, Highview Tommy, Saveapatrol, Johnny Fox and Classie Brigade.
Also looking to add another Invercargill Cup to his tally is Tim Williams, who takes the drive on the third of the Dunn-trained runners, Mighty Looee. Williams has won the race twice, first with Funatthebeach and then with Alta Wiseguy.
“I’m not quite sure what to make of him at the moment, he was very ordinary at Methven given he usually races so well there, but he’s been good at home,” Dunn said. “It’s just getting hard to find races for him at the moment, so we’ve had to go down there.”
Photograph at the top of the page: Charlie Brown has been one of the most consistent pacers in New Zealand this year and will look to turn that consistency to success in Friday’s Gr. 1 Invercargill Cup.
