Back from a break with refreshing results

Victorian reinswoman Michelle Phillips reckons she’s “thrived from a spell” from harness racing and has come back to the job she loves with all guns blazing.

Phillips was given a “holiday” by stewards in December, but instead of lamenting her spell on the sidelines, the young driver saw it as an opportunity to refresh and reset – and it’s clearly done her the world of good.

At her first drive back on Thursday, Phillips was successful for Tim Bolitho on The Big End of Town (Heston Blue Chip – Apple of my Eye) at Maryborough.  Then on Sunday, she went one better with a double at Ouyen.

“No one wants to get a holiday, but you should enjoy what you do.  I’d got to the point where it had soured and didn’t even really think about it or enjoy it, I just did it,” Phillips said.

“A lot of us feel we can’t take time off unless we’re forced to – so like a lot of others, I just kept going.  When I got the suspension, I actually saw it as a chance to get right away from the horses and look after myself for a bit,” she said.

“I threw the swag into the ute and headed off to the high country for two weeks, then spent a week down at the beach.”

Phillips said the constant demands from working as well as race driving is often underestimated – not least by the drivers themselves.

“Most of us work in the morning, either our own horses, or for someone else, then it’s off to the races in the afternoon or at night.  Often, you’re not getting home until the early hours of the morning, before it starts all over again,” she said.

“I’m definitely not complaining, it is what it is, and you need to keep doing the job to keep getting the drives, but it can get to you mentally.  I’m so glad to be back, because I’d had enough of sitting on the sidelines, but I honestly can’t believe how much better I feel.

“Other people have noticed it too –  someone came up to me and told me the break had obviously done me the world of good because they could see the toll it was taking before, physically and mentally.

“I feel happier and clearer, and that I’m not making rash decisions out on the track, which is obviously good for everyone!”

It was certainly good for Mildura region trainer Frank Merceica and his partner Sue Doherty, who engaged Phillips to driver their horses Minika (Art Major – Awesome Powers (Walton Hanover) and Redbank Rockabear (Rock N Roll Heaven – Queen of Courage (Courage Under Fire) at Sunday’s Ouyen Cup meeting.

“I was stoked to get the drive on Minika, especially, because he was in the Les Patching Memorial race, which I’d won the previous two years,” Phillips said.

“I don’t think Frank and Sue were too confident about how she would go, but when we were able to get up the sprint lane she really ran for me – it was unreal to win that race again.

“The previous twice I’ve won it, I got pushed three wide and ended up getting suspended – I did it a bit differently this year!”

Michelle Phillips and trainer Frank Merceica with Minika

The late Les Patching died about five years ago in his mid-50s and was a popular figure well known by most industry people in the area.

Les came from a large family (his siblings were the late Ron, Billy, Kevin, Trevor, Margaret (Carroll) and Kathy (Loxton), many of whom continue to be involved in the sport.

Trevor said the Ouyen Cup and the race that Phillips has made her own (Kerryn Manning is the only other driver to have won it at its inaugural running) is “like a reunion for us”.

“Les lived with Down Syndrome, and he just loved his trots.  He loved to poke around at the stables at home, and he loved a bet,” he said.

“But it was really the people – everyone was his mate, and especially people like the late Ian McCallum and Merv Dillon, who’d always make a fuss of him.  The memorial race is a tribute to Les that he would have been very proud of…and for Michelle to have won it three out of the four times it’s been run is unbelievable.”

Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura