Aussie Stable Snippets

There’s a wealth of competitive experience all set to go under the spotlight at Bendigo’s Lords Raceway early next month.

The 10 veteran harness racing drivers invited to compete in the ninth running of the Oxley Feed Mill Veteran Drivers’ Trot on Friday, November 4, have been announced.

The “veteran” label, in this case, applies to current drivers in one of the criteria of age (over 60 for men, over 50 for women); having driven at the Showgrounds; having driven in the 1970s or before; or having won a major title, such as an Interdominion, Miracle Mile, Hunter Cup, NZ Cup or Victorian Country Cup race.

And the final list, understandably, reads like a who’s-who of the sport, headed by Brian Gath, Jim O’Sullivan, Geoff Webster and Lance Justice. Just for good measure, there’s also Noel Shinn, Glenn Conroy, Ginger Gleeson, Mark Hayes, Graeme Whittle and Debra Wicks-Moss.

Graeme Whittle, a star of the Melbourne Showgrounds days, is a previous winner, along with Lance Justice; and legendary Bendigo horseman Brian Gath who has won the feature twice.  Debra Wicks-Moss, will also take her place in the field, as the first female driver to win a race in NSW on equal terms with men.

Bendigo Harness Racing Museum curator Noel Ridge says the feature is a night of nostalgia, stories tall and true, and competitive racing.

“They’re out there not just to drive, they’re out there to win!” Ridge said.

The Bendigo meeting will also include the club’s 68th Anniversary Cup and heats of the 3yo colts and geldings, and fillies Breeders Crown series.

Ex-pat Aussie horseman Shane Tritton, now a success story in the USA, has been to the annual Lexington Yearling Sales for the last three years—but he’s still gobsmacked at the scale of the business in the northern hemisphere.

“You’ve just got to take a big cheque book that’s for sure,” Tritton said.

“On the opening day, 122 lots were offered, and the average price was $189,000,” he said.

“Over the five days of the sale, a total of 886 lots went under the hammer with buyers spending $65million. It just shows the money that’s in the sport.”

Tritton firmly believes he went home with the best-looking colt.

“He cost $135,000, but is a magnificent looking fella, sired by Huntsville. His race name is Bookem Danno.

Check out the youngster’s work on the long reins by clicking here.  

“We also ended up with a Captaintreacherous filly which cost $150,000, and a Lazarus colt for $65,000. My dad Peter also bought one,” Tritton said.

Tritton and his wife Lauren left the Australian shores in 2019 and have since established themselves at Pine Bush, in New York.

Stories are continuing to emerge from harness racing participants in Victoria and New South Wales about numerous near-misses and rescues from rapidly rising water.

Victoria’s Newberry family put out a call for help on social media in a bid to rescue a pregnant mare caught in water which rose unexpectedly and rapidly.

“We could hear her splashing around and shone the light out there to find she was fetlock deep in water,” Maree Newberry said.

“After the call for help went out a fella came around, he put his boat in on the road, came across what used to be our dam, at the moment it’s just a big lake, and picked up (husband) John and (son) Matthew from the stables,” she said.

“Some of the fences are just totally submerged, so at least they knew where the fences were and could guide him, they then grabbed the mare. Once we could get to the paddock, we could get her out and across to where the other high paddocks are.”

A number of trainers were forced to relocate to the Shepparton Harness Racing Centre, and Harness Racing Victoria supported  them and others impacted by the floods with a supply of stock feed.

Shepparton district trainer John Nissen donated in excess of 100 bales of hay to assist those in need.

Elsewhere, meetings have been transferred or abandoned due to the record rainfall along the eastern seaboard, as a result of the La Nina weather system.

Harness Racing Victoria is continuing to advise participants to allow extra time when travelling due to hundreds of road closures, flooding risks and extreme weather.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink