After building a wonderful career in twenty-nine years, Orange is only the fourth driver to have driven 3,000 winners in this country. The others are Tony Herlihy, Maurice McKendry and Ricky May.
Tonight he took the Gore-trained Always A Menace on a typical Blair Orange ride (Always B Miki) ahead from a good barrier, led and won by a length and three quarters from Sandy Shore.
ALWAYS A threat
“It feels quite surreal. It is quite overwhelming to think as a child that you would one day do what those three legends of our sport have done. I am proud that I can be one of those greats,” said an emotional Dutch team after the victory.
His first winner was Whizza Nova for Tim Butt at Reefton in December 1996, while his first win was The Tough Nut in the 2000 Invercargill Cup.
“It means a lot. It’s great to have the family here and to do it here at my home track, Addington. I’m very fortunate to have everyone who has supported my career. It’s been hard work and I’ve put in the hours. I’m lucky to have the support I get from the bottom of the South to the North Island.”
Orange has ridden 31 Group 1 winners, the first of which was Jay’s debut in the 2005 New Zealand Two-Year Championship.
276 of his winners were for Michael House with good support from Ken Barron 197, Mark Purdon and Grant Payne 190, Mark Purdon 128, Mark Jones 108, Paul Court 103 and Mike Austin 100.
Highview Tommy at 14, Republican Party 13, Krug 12 and Habibti Inta 11 have been his biggest winners.
One of the Oranje’s greatest achievements to date was winning the iconic double in Group 1: the New Zealand Cup (Cruz Bromac) and the Dominion Handicap (Habibti Inta) in 2019.
He has won the New Zealand Drivers Premiership seven times and his best season (12 months) was in 2018 when he drove 232 winners – a New Zealand record.
The Dutch represented New Zealand at the World Drivers’ Championship in 2023 and again this year. No doubt, the win behind Always A Menace tonight has increased his chances of taking out this year’s series.
It has been a truly remarkable career and there is much more to come for the man they call ‘Sticks’ and ‘The Postman’.
For full race results, click here.
Through Bruce Stewartfor Harnesslink
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