Young gun driver races to the front | Canterbury Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Canterbury

He's only 18 and notching records almost week by week, but new harness racing sensation Dexter Dunn's feet are firmly on the ground.

The sport is reeling over what the gifted West Melton youngster has achieved already this season - and agog over what is still to come.

Last Thursday he had five wins in one day at Forbury Park from nine drives. That's a bit like a hole-in-one for a golfer, and it put Dunn in the lead in the New Zealand drivers' premiership with only six weeks to go.

After two wins at Addington yesterday Dexter has 129 wins to previous leader Peter Ferguson's 125. But with more drives lined up for the Canterbury youngster, he's poised to finish one of the most remarkable seasons by any driver in the long history of New Zealand harness racing as the first junior driver to win the premiership.

There's even a chance of him overhauling Maurice McKendry's New Zealand record of 152 wins in a season.

It's an indication of the teenager's astonishing dedication that his father, New Zealand Cup-winning trainer Robert Dunn, reckons his son has had only one week off since he left school at 16.

He probably knew his son was destined to follow the family trade when, almost as soon as he could walk, Dexter was trotting around the house in a set of silks, driving glasses, and whip in hand - dressed up by his older brother Johnny, himself a successful driver today.

When he was only 10 or so and weighing less than 30kg, Dexter was down at Spencer Park before school in the mornings, driving horses himself at beach training with his father and brother.

"He could handle them from a young age and no horse was a problem," recalls Robert Dunn.

"When he was 11 or 12, Johnny said to me 'When you put Dex on, they seem to run better.' He's a natural and horses do respond to him."

Dunn puts his son's instant success as a driver down to that grounding with his brother, the early morning beach work, and enthusiasm.

He points out Dexter is meticulous in preparing his equipment and gear. And earlier this season before his wins had people chasing him, Dexter was always on the phone seeking drives and introducing himself.

"He was often turned down, but at least he made introductions," said his father.

When he won his first Group One race this year with his father's horse Time To Fly on a Friday night at Addington, there were no celebrations. Instead Dunn was at his computer until two in the morning analysing that night's race replays and doing his homework on the fields for his meetings on Saturday and Sunday. At 5.30am he was up getting ready for that day's meeting in Invercargill.

Dunn says he doesn't mind the sacrifices to reach the top in racing, although he certainly craves a holiday. "I can't remember the last time I had one. With travelling and racing you get exhausted, but I hope to have a week in Australia in August or September."

He's the first to admit he's still learning. "There are a lot of things you wish you could replay &races; you could have done differently."

Although he won a Group One race with Rona Lorraine on his debut at Alexandra Park in April, he admits that meeting was a lesson. He had never driven a right-handed track before, and he and his South Island horses struggled. "I think there was only one North Island horse I drove up there - and it still couldn't handle the track!"

Dunn's stakes for the season are now $1.24m (drivers get 5%), but there's no splashing out. He drives a 2000 Subaru Legacy - "I'm not a cars man, I don't know much about cars, but I need a half decent car to drive to Dunedin or Blenheim!"

While winning the premiership is his goal, Dunn admits McKendry's 17-year-old record for wins in a season is now in his mind. "If I go past that which is a very, very slim chance, if that happened it would be a pretty good, too." The way he is going at present, it would be a brave punter to bet against it.