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He was just a maiden having his third race start at this meeting last year, but today Captain Dolmio locks horns with a top field in the Group Three Invercargill Trotting Cup to be run over the 3200m.

As invariably happens in a top racing stable, there are great highs, but also those gut-wrenching lows. For John Dunn who runs the Woodend Stable for father Robert, this week saw an all time low as he lost top pacer Say My Name, which broke a leg in a training accident on the beach.

It has been 14 months and 33 race starts, but the long drought ended today for Living Legend, the pride and joy of the Westview Racing No 13 syndicate.

The extraordinary dominance of John Dunn on the Nelson/Marlborough continued yesterday, as he added a further four wins to his tally on the circuit, all on stable runners. From 29 drives over three days of racing John has driven an impressive 12 winners from 29 drives, with four seconds and three thirds topping things off nicely.

After a superb weekend for both John and the stable last weekend, the first day of Blenheim today offers a great chance to carry on that momentum. It will again be the three year olds that offer the best chances of success.

There is no doubt that the Nelson summer meeting is fast becoming a favourite for John Dunn. A five win bag yesterday was a superb return for the Woodend Beach reinsman who added a further four placings to his winning tally.

Runner up at his last three starts, Hayden's Meddle looks set to deliver in the first race at Nelson this afternoon. He is one of a host of chances from the stable this afternoon.

Runner up at his last three starts, Hayden's Meddle looks set to deliver in the first race at Nelson this afternoon. He is one of a host of chances from the stable this afternoon.

While he had no luck in the Village Kid last week, the lead up to tomorrow night's Fremantle Pacing Cup, Franco Nelson pleased driver Ryan Bell who thinks that he is a big hope going into the Group One feature.

Its Group One day at Alexandra Park, with the Auckland Cup and the National trot the two big feature races. However, from a stable slant, the first two races on the days programme hold a lot of interest with half brothers Alta Maestro and Alta Las Vegas both appearing great winning chances.

Unable to get home easily after the Inter-Dominion final three weeks ago, Franco Nelson has stayed in Perth instead, officially joining the Greg and Skye Bond stable for a three race campaign that begins with tonight's Village Kid Pace over the 2130m.

Four year old mare American Tart has shown her massive ability on many occasions throughout her short career, but yesterday at Ashburton, she showed another string to her bow, coming from last at the 400m to beat a good field of mares over the mile.

He has only re-joined the Robert Dunn stable recently, but a good second to Say My Name at last week's Orari trials convinced John Dun that there was at least another win in the old boy Graduate Under Fire.

A stunning win fresh up sees Franco Cristiano rate as a great chance in this year's JLT Futurity at Cambridge tomorrow. He will be joined in the race by stablemates Little Rascal and Robbie Burns that both rate good chances also.

Absolutely brilliant through the autumn, Say My Name looked set for a big campaign in the north including the Messenger and the Harness Jewels before injury again derailed plans. Seven months later he is back and on target for Monday's Westport Cup over the 3200m.

Purchased out of a Forbury claimer for just $1500, Cimarron has proven a great buy for popular junior driver Craig Smith.

An impressive trial on the track last weekend signalled that he would be a tough horse to beat and Alta Maestro didn't disappoint his followers tonight at Alexandra Park in the first heat of the Young Guns.

A convincing winner last week in junior drivers company, Letspendanitetogetha was again too good tonight combining with Craig Smith for a week-week double.

While things have been a bit quiet on the winners front the last couple of weeks, this weekend has been a far better one with four wins coming over the course of a busy weekend.

If the quality of the opposition is not tough enough on its own, the Franco Nelson camp have to face up to the difficulty of the draw also, in tonight's final at Gloucester Park, Perth.

Following the second round of heats run at Bunbury on Tuesday evening, Franco Nelson sits just outside the top ten and is needing a top three finish in Friday evening's final round to make the final.