This years Lone Star Riccarton Australasian Young Drivers Championship got under way at last nights harness racing meeting at Cambridge and the defending champion Andre Poutama immediately showed that he wasn't going to give up the title without a real fight.
This years series is being run over seven races at four race meetings across New Zealand and last night saw the first two of those seven races run.
First blood went to the defending champion Andre Poutama from New Zealand who settled Sapphire Castleton in the trail behind the pacemaking Tereskova driven by Tom Buchanan from Western Australia and then used the passing lane to good effect to nail Tereskova right on the line.
Silver Stream off 50 metres with Dylan Ford from Tasmania in the bike ran on well to grab third in front of Madam Simone and Jake Webster from South Australia.
The second heat saw New Zealand's South Island representative Robbie Close grab the early lead with Balius with the hot favourite Forever An Angel and Josh Aiken sitting in the death seat after Robbie wouldn't hand up the front with Balius.
Passing the 800 metres Forever An Angel went into a wild gallop and caused a bit of carnage back in the field which left Balius clear in the lead.
The only danger was Elusive Edgar with Dylan Ford in the bike in the trail and try as they might, they couldn't run down Balius.
Mach Cullen and Andre Poutama flew home late for third after copping a interrupted run with Stars Star and Jake Webster running on into fourth.
Robbie Close can count himself a little bit fortunate to win the race as he copped a $250 fine from stewards for squeezing Elusive Edgar up when crossing to the lead early.
After the first two heats the points table sits like this.
Andre Poutama 26
Robbie Close 21
Dylan Ford 21
Tom Buchanan 18
Jake Webster 14
Robbie Morris 9
Michele Neilson 7
Josh Aiken 6
Trent Moffat 6
Ben Butcher 4
The series continues tonight at Alexandra Park before shifting to Addington tomorrow and Timaru on Sunday
Harnesslink Media
