Driver ready to ready to celebrate a double properly

Up-and-coming young harness racing driver Hannah Rixon does have a winning double at Menangle but has never had the chance to really celebrate the feat.

That’s because she landed one winner and was second past the post in another race before being promoted to the winner by stewards some weeks later.

While that’s no way to mark one of your best days in the sulky, she’s looking to at least equal that feat at Menangle today (Jul. 12) and finds herself with four handy drives on an eight-race program.

Two of those, Im Presi Belle (Mach Three, Race 3) and Ed Mendes (Lincoln Royal, Race 5) are for her father/trainer Peter Rixon and both will start close to favourites.

She will also handle Alta Classic (Alta Christiano) for Scott Hewitt in Race 7 and Hands On for Tony Bertwistle in Race 8.

“Im Presi Belle is second-up and probably needs a bit of speed and also a few things to go her way but she is a good chance,” said Rixon.

“Ed Mendes has been racing super and this race looks ideal. Hopefully, he goes well. I’m not sure where he gets to but I do expect him to be in the finish.”

Rixon hasn’t driven Alta Classic in a race but does know the horse as she has driven him in trackwork in Queensland when she was helping trainer Scott Hewitt in Queensland last year.

“He was a two-year-old then who hadn’t raced so I haven’t drive him for quite a long time,” she said.

“But he has good form and Menangle is a big step up from winning at Canberra. So, we’ll see how he handles that.

“I did drive Hands On once before, a while ago and he’s had a spell since then.

“He won well two weeks ago and I was in that race driving something else when he won.

“He might also need things to go his way but he’s not a bad hope on paper.”

Hannah is working for James Rattray at Exeter and heads out to his stable a few mornings a week to help work his team of a dozen or so.

She also helps Dad Peter most mornings while her sister Ellen is working in Victoria working for Courtney Slater and brother Will is in Queensland helping with Rickie Alchin’s team.

“He’s been there a month or so and seems to be hitting his straps up there in the nice weather,” she said.

For complete race fields, click here.

by Michael Court, for HRNSW