Trainer Patrick Lunn has always been one of the top conditioners in KwaZulu-Natal and has led the way in preparing his runners in the popular Chapter Challenge Series where, for the third time in a row, he has emerged as the winner of the trainers’ incentive competition.

This time, however, he shares that honour with trainer Mark Dixon and the pair split the combined first and second prizes offered by Gold Circle and each receive R15 000.

Lunn completed the hattrick of wins in the competition with his charge Gallant Caesour gaining 24 points but in the final run to the finish of the competition Dixon produced Burnished Armour to win and gain equal points.

In addition, Dixon collects another R5 000 for his runner Sucha Day which finished the competition in third place on 22 points.

The KZN Chapter Challenge Series is open to all horses competing in qualifying handicaps other than feature events run in the province and earn points ranging from seven for winning to one for finishing sixth. At the end of the qualifying period, the three trainers whose horses earn the most points share the R35 000 on a R20 000, R10 000 and R5 000 scale.

The finals of the Series, over 2 000 metres, 1 600 metres and 1 200 metres, will be run at Clairwood on Gold Challenge Day on Saturday, June 11.

The series is designed to enable the horses competing below the feature and top division level of races in KwaZulu-Natal to race for a stake of R150 000. The runners earning the higher points in the competition’s qualifying races can then compete in the finals which each carry a stake of R150 000.

In all the competitions run so far, the finals have produced close and exciting finishes and this is likely to happen again at Clairwood next week.