Bondi is back and more snippets!

THERE’S sure to be a huge amount of interest at TABcorp Park Menangle tomorrow night (Jan 28) when Horsham-owned superstar Bondi Lockdown (Somebeachsomewhere) makes his long-awaited return to the harness racing scene at 8.04 pm.

Owner Aaron Dunn has trained and driven the brilliant pacer throughout his career but made the tough decision to send him to the husband-and-wife team of Luke and Belinda McCarthy, of Cobbitty Equine Farms.

Bondi Lockdown, a winner of 13 races and 10 placings from 32 appearances, was found to have bled after being unplaced at Melton in the Smoken Up Sprint last October and was stood down from racing for three months.

Dunn has openly said the trainer change “was for the better in the long run” and he’s excited at the opportunity for the horse to find some consistency on the spacious Menangle circuit.

“Barrier 10 isn’t the best, but he was always going to draw around there somewhere with his 120 national rating. Belinda is happy with him and the longer 2300m trip won’t worry him,” Dunn said.

“He will get a lot of benefit from this run that’s for sure. He’s being aimed at the Newcastle Mile on February 17 and then the Miracle Mile a few weeks later.”

McCarthy was nominated as driver on three of the stable’s horses in the $20,400 Cordina Chicken Farms Pace but elected to take Bondi Lockdown.

He’s been an excitement machine, there’s no two ways about that. Let’s recall his monstrous effort when runner-up in the Chariots Of Fire. He sat posted outside the leader, hit the front turning for home, only to go down by a metre by Better Eclipse in 1.47-6.

And with the early speed a cracker, the opening quarter was a sensational 24.3 seconds. This represented the fastest 400m seen at Menangle—the previous being 24.6 shared by Majordan and My Field Marshall.

*Hoofnote: Another set to resurrect his career, Lochinvar Art, is almost certain to make his US debut at Meadowlands tomorrow week. Now under the care of former Aussies, Shane and Lauren Tritton, the Kevin Gordon-owned pacer impressed recently in a ‘qualifier’.

VICTORIAN freelance young gun Jack Laugher has shot out of the blocks and looks on track for a stellar 2023 season, holding a handy margin at the top of the State driver’s premiership.

Laugher is driving in fine touch, exemplified by a double at Stawell yesterday (Jan 26) on Terroroan (Western Terror) for John Tormey and Classically Smooth (Betterthanchedder) for Dylan Marshall.

The 23-year-old has 20 wins to his name so far this month (and 29 placings), ahead of Chris Alford (13), then Greg Sugars, Mark Pitt and Kate Gath all on 11 and Jackie Barker on 10.  Last season’s premiership reinsman James Herbertson has had 8 wins so far.

Mind you, Laugher is putting in the long days to bring the results.  So far for 2023 he’s been one of the state’s busiest drivers, with 120 drives, and he’s popped up at almost every meeting on this month’s calendar, including numerous “double headers”.  For example, after his Stawell engagements yesterday, Laugher was in the car and off down the Western Highway to make the three hour-plus journey to Cranbourne, in time for a further four drives.

Laugher grew up around horses in Tasmania, where his dad Michael is a trainer, but decided to try his luck and develop his skills with 12 months in Victoria – that was nearly five years ago!

THE progressive New South Wales Riverina Paceway at Wagga Wagga has its eye on the future in one of Australia’s most vibrant harness racing regions – but its next meeting (January 31) will pay homage to some of the key contributors of the past.

The club’s annual Memorial Night race meeting will honor the work of 11 individuals who made their mark on the sport and the club, which now hosts 52 race meetings a year.

One of those heading the honor roll on the night will be the late Don Alchin, a life member of the club who grew up with horses and developed a love of harness racing, leading to him training and driving.  Once he retired from the hands-on side, Don became the race starter at Wagga, and helped with track curation, then, as his health limited his involvement, became judge and timekeeper.  He also served on the club committee for more than 40 years.

Also recognized on the night will be the late Ian Walsh, widely known for his partnership with his great friend Rob Woodhouse in establishing Yirribee Pacing Stud in 1986.  A past president and life member of the club, Ian was a tireless worker and volunteer for the Wagga Harness Racing Club, and a key driver of the sub-committee for the new Riverina complex.

Sadly, Ian didn’t see the plans come to fruition, but his contributions will be recognized at the Memorial Night meeting.

The night recognizes some well-known names in harness racing, and some behind-the-scenes contributors in: John Brasier; Don Inwood; Robbie Jack; Don ‘Jingles’ McKenzie; Tess McKenzie; Gordon McRae; Judith Rutland; Rebecca Rutland; and Shelton Smith.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink