Jack of no trades is a real trots winner

Victoria’s top young harness racing driver Jack Laugher has some hurdles to overcome to continue his breakthrough season with a stellar set of drives on Saturday night.

Laugher was one of many key drivers at the Tabcorp Park Melton meeting on August 2 where a participant subsequently tested COVID-19 positive.

“I was classified Tier 2, had to isolate straight away and get tested (from early Tuesday morning). The test came back negative (Wednesday),” Laugher said.

Harness Racing Victoria has moved the Saturday night meeting from Tabcorp Park Melton to Ballarat, while Monday’s meeting, also originally scheduled for Melton, will now be at Maryborough.

When Laugher, son of trainer Michael Laugher, first moved from Tasmania to Victoria three years ago he planned to stay 12 months honing his skills before returning home.

Such has been the juggernaut of his success, Laugher finds himself in second spot on both the Victorian statewide and metropolitan driving premierships this season. His 125 wins put him just four behind Greg Sugars statewide and 10 in front of Hall of Famer Chris Alford.

With six drives at Ballarat on Saturday night, Laugher can consolidate second spot on the metro list, but catching defending champion Kate Gath by the end of the year, who he trails by 22 wins, looks a big ask. See fields here.

“I have to pinch myself a bit when I think how far I’ve come in just a few years over here, but I’ve had great support and I’m getting drives on better horses now,” Laugher said.

“I was getting a few drives back home and thought spending a year in Victoria would be good for me. I was only going to stay a year, but things just kept growing.”

Although born into a harness racing family, Laugher, 22, wanted to be a mechanic in his mid-teens. He only swung back to harness racing as a 16-year-old.

“I’d drifted away from the horses a bit, but Mum made me get off my butt and get down to help out in the stables. That’s when I got the bug back,” he said.

“Even though I’m having a good time of it now, I wonder what it would’ve been like being a mechanic. I’d certainly have more spare time.

“Driving is hard work. I go to the races seven days a week and help-out at the stables (trainer Julie Douglas) as well, but I feel like I’ve made some real progress now and the opportunities are opening up.

“It’s exciting to think the Victoria Cup Carnival is just around the corner and I could be part of some of the big races. I was lucky enough to drive Bettor Be The Bomb in the Hunter Cup earlier this year and he ran a great race. He ran the second fastest last half, even though he finished ninth.”

Laugher’s brightest feature race prospect is Yabby Dams’ exciting trotting young mare Im Ready Jet, who has run two slashing races back from a spell.

“She’s potentially the best horse – pacer or trotter – I’ve driven. If she keeps improving and stays sound, I think she’ll be one of the best trotters going around,” he said.

More immediately, Laugher pointed to Would You Mind (race three) and Chase The Hat Trick (race eight) as two of his best drives at Ballarat.

“Would You Mind will appreciate having last week’s run under his belt and I can push him out harder this time. He’ll go well,” he said.

“Chase The Hat Trick is better suited over the longer 2240m trip this week because he doesn’t have any real high speed just yet. He’s got his chance from the good draw (gate two).”

By Adam Hamilton for HRV