In the Canprint Mobile Pace Wilson House just came home with $38 outsider Sweet Willow (Dear Lou) over Carter Dalgety and Beaudiene Always B in a spicy finish.
There was only half a neck, half a head and a nose, and the House-Dalgety quinella paid $283.
Those wins took House to 93 wins for 2025, and tellingly three ahead of nearest rival Dalgety.
SWEET WILLOWS REPEAT
He is now a $1.01 favorite to win the premiership after starting the day at $1.70.
“It’s been a great run lately, including a listed race for one of my best friends,” says House.
“And before that, Carter had a great Invercargill Cup day moving forward.”
His Listed win came with the Jack and Anne-Marie best-trained The Present Maker at the Phoebe Stud Harness 5000 at Ashburton, while Dalgety claimed a treble at Ascot Park, including Invercargill Cup winner Republican Party.
Going into Motukarara House you had a one win buffer of 91 to 90.
With only Reefton and the Auckland Cup meeting remaining, the advantage is House.
He has nine drives at Reefton on Tuesday, while Dalgety has four.
Last year there was a similar neck-and-neck battle between Dalgety and Sam Thornley before Dalgety secured his first Junior Drivers’ Premier sip.
Will history repeat itself or will it be House who claims his first title?
The fast pace at Motukarara also saw Here’s Herbie win the Paul Renwick Joinery Motukarara Christmas Cup after driver Colin DeFilippi got a good lead and then controlled the pace at the front, while Love Walked In pulled off the biggest upset of the day.
The six-year-old Love You mare, trained by Greg and Ben Hope and ridden by Gemma Thornley, turned an ordinary form to win Race 12, the Wendy Fletcher and Gary Bree Trot, for which they paid $51.
Through Dave Di Sommafor Harness News Desk
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