Three-way tie! “Herbie” wins on countback

To use a well-worn cliche, the 34th running of the Victorian Invitational Drivers Championship on Monday (June 17) went “down to the wire”.

The championship was the headline act of the14th Industry Participants’ Appreciation Day at the Horsham Harness Racing Club.

The 10 invited drivers were allocated 11 points for a winning drive, down to one point for a last placing – and after the running of six penalty-exempt heats, three drivers were tied on 42 points for the lead.

“So, we decided on a countback and James Herbertson was declared the winner with two wins. Greg Sugars and Ellen Tormey each had one win. It was a terrific day with a bigger crowd than normal attending,” Horsham Harness Racing Club President Terry Lewis said.

“We had thousands of dollars’ worth of products, merchandise and vouchers thanks to our many sponsors. Merv and Meg Butterworth, of Decron Horse Care, came along, and it’s the seventh year they’ve been major sponsors.

“There wouldn’t have been a trainer who headed home empty-handed – even those who ran last didn’t miss out!”

Herbertson took out the event for the first time and now joins an illustrious group including Dexter Dunn, Gary Hall Jnr, Graeme and Gavin Lang, Brian Gath, Greg Sugars and Chris Alford.

“We used to bring in interstate drivers prior to COVID, but the pandemic forced us back to Victorian drivers only and we’ve just kept going with that theme,” Lewis said.

“But this year had a really good feel about it and there was some exciting racing. It was the first time we’d staged six heats of the Invitational Drivers – we’re normally happy to have four, so it was pretty special.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink