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By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk\u00a0<\/p>\n
Riley Harrison has two factors in her favour heading into Friday’s Darren DeFilippi Memorial Handicap Trot at Addington (9.01pm).<\/p>\n
Not only is she the only driver in the race to have it won previously but she is also driving the highly-fancied Midnight Diamond for her employers Robert and Jenna Dunn.<\/p>\n
The six-year-old mare was unlucky when locking wheels and galloping briefly turning for home then rocketing into ninth last start (July 3). Before that she was a very impressive winner, also at Addington, on June 19.<\/p>\n
A six-race winner, Midnight Diamond opened at $2.45 and has since been backed in. Harrison knows her horse is classy, with explosive speed, but is still wary.<\/p>\n
“It’s a junior drivers race, a trot and a stand – anything could happen.”<\/p>\n
But she is cautiously optimistic that Midnight Diamond can overcome a 20 metre handicap in a capacity field.<\/p>\n
“If they go hard like they normally do every year it could suit her down to the ground. She could be saved for one run.”<\/p>\n
Other favoured runners include Amistozo (Carter Dalgety), Didn’t Di (Tayla Duley) and Four Wise Women (Korbyn Newman).
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Friday’s race will be the 32nd edition of the race held to remember and honour Darren DeFilippi, who was just 17 when he died in a three car crash returning from the Geraldine races. He had 14 wins as a junior driver in 1995-96.<\/p>\n
It is a prestigious race that has a lot of meaning for today’s junior drivers and for Darren’s parents Colin and Julie DeFilippi it is always an emotional and special occasion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Harrison won the race with the Paul Nairn-trained Luvavici in 2024, winning by five lengths.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I thought that I’d gone a lap early – I didn’t think it was real,” says Harrison, “I didn’t even turn the stick – he actually flew.”<\/p>\n
“When I won it the trophy made it so special \u00a0.. \u00a0I can see why it’s a race they (the juniors) all want to win.”<\/p>\n
Matthew Williamson is the most successful driver in the race’s history, having won it three times in a row (2011\/12\/13) while Mark Hurrell went back to back in 2018\/19 as did Sarah O’Reilly in 2021\/22.\u00a0<\/p>\n