by Adam Hamilton

Dexter Dunn is heading back Down Under.

But don’t panic, it’s just a visit and a “working” holiday.

Dunn became the first driver to land a slot in the new and exciting Ladbrokes Ultimate Driver Challenge, to be run for the first time at Brisbane’s Albion Park across two nights on Feb. 21 and 22, next year.

Since the series was unveiled a few months back, organizers Racing Queensland’s wish for it to stir strong international interest has come true.

Applications for one of the 10 slots in the Ultimate Drivers Challenge have come from all around the world.

Until now, those bidding for slots and the drivers they nominate have remained private.

But race sponsor Ladbrokes, part of the global Entain business, snared a slot as part of its support for the event.

Its chief executive officer, passionate harness owner and supporter Dean Shannon, set his sights on landing Dunn to drive in the Ladbrokes slot from Day One.

Although he lives in Australia, Shannon almost exclusively races his horses in New Zealand. His best pacer, Merlin, won the $1 million Race By Grins at Cambridge in April and is one of the main contenders for the $1-million New Zealand Cup in November.

“We [Ladbrokes] are excited to be sponsoring such an exciting new concept as the Ladbrokes Drivers Challenge and from the start we wanted to help make it a truly international event,” Shannon said.

“Dexter was the top priority for our slot. He’s had so much success in the U.S., but he’s also one of the greatest drivers New Zealand has seen and won lots of big races in Australia, too.

“It looks like it will bring together some of the best drivers from all around the world.”

Dunn, who turned 35 on Sept. 1, drove 2,226 winners in NZ and 55 in Australia before moving to the U.S. to continue his career in 2018.

Significantly, Dunn’s previous trips to Australia from NZ were to chase major races and his wins included two of the country’s biggest races, the Miracle Mile and Hunter Cup, with former superstar pacer Christen Me in 2015 and ’16.

In a quirky piece, Dunn’s first win as a driver came in Australia aboard The Ultimate One at regional track Geelong in September, 2006.

How, might you ask? It’s because he had a stint working with top Victorian trainer Andy Gath as a late teen. The pair remain the best of mates.

Dunn’s deeds in NZ are legendary with 10 driving premierships, four junior driving titles and even a Canterbury Sportsman of the Year title – which is almost unthinkable in the rugby-crazed region of NZ’s South Island.

Four Dan Patch Driver of the Year awards and over 2,000 wins later, Dunn has made quite a mark in the U.S.

Dunn is no stranger to Albion Park, the host track of the Ultimate Driver Challenge, either.

Literally while packing his bags to move his life and career to the U.S. in mid-2018, Dunn made a hit-and-run visit to Brisbane’s home of harness racing to drive Let It Ride to win Queensland’s biggest race, the Group 1 Blacks A Fake.

“I’ve been there a few times, it’ll be great to get back,” Dunn said. “It’s a quiet time of year here [in the U.S.] in January and February, so it fits really well. I’d heard some talk about this new driver series in Australia and pretty much straight away someone from Ladbrokes rang to ask if I was interested.

“It’s certainly something different and to be bundled into two nights makes it easy to take it in. It’s an honor to get the call-up and I can’t wait to be part of it and catch-up with lots of people I know when I get down there.”

The Ultimate Driver Challenge consists of 20 races across two nights for just 10 drivers at Albion Park with over $250,000 in prize money up for grabs. First prize is $100,000 and slot holders will receive $1,000 for each race win.

Applications for the nine remaining slots (Ladbrokes already had a slot), which cost $20,000 each, closed on July 31.

When it was launched, champion North American drivers Tim Tetrick and Jody Jamieson were among those to endorse it.

Albion Park chief Ken Rutherford was thrilled to learn Dunn was a lock for the series.

“Dexter is an outstanding choice and fit for the inaugural Ladbrokes Ultimate Driver,” he said. “He covers so many markets, being a Kiwi whose last win in Australia was at Albion Park in The Blacks A Fake in 2018 to now being one of the biggest names in North American harness racing.

“We are humbled by the interest from across the globe. We received several applications that were internationally focused ranging from North America to Europe along with applications from other Australian states and here in Queensland.

“All applicants indicated how they would promote the Ultimate Driver and harness racing in general which has provided the selection panel with plenty to think about ahead of announcing the other nine slot holders. To ensure reach and engagement we are aiming to strike a balance between slot holders that are internationally, interstate and locally focused.”

The other successful slot holders will be announced Sept. 18.