Bits and Pieces by Terry Gange

VICTORIA AND NEW SOUTH WALES are going head-to-head in this year’s Nic Dewar Memorial junior harness racing drivers’ challenge.

Five representatives from both states competed in the opening round of heats at Shepparton last Thursday (April 13) and the second and final round will be contested at Young tomorrow night (April 18).

Dewar, 18, of Young, was killed in a car accident in February 2018. He had driven at Shepparton earlier and finished second at his only race drive.

He had shown so much promise as a reinsman during a short career—winning his first race at Dubbo on Fake Art (Fake Left) just a few weeks after obtaining his licence. He landed 22 winners and 57 placegetters in his short career.

The challenge is now held annually in his honor and this year the talented young drivers selected are: Victoria – Grace Bilney, Jordan Chibnall, Corey O’Donoghue, Tasmyn Potter and Codi Rauchenberger; NSW – Blake Micallef, Taylah Osmond, James Locke, Brent Blythe and Damon Watson.

A presentation from the family of the late Nic Dewar will be held trackside at the Young meeting.

In the opening round, Blake Micallef started the ball rolling for NSW with a top drive to land Major Fire (Art Major) in the first heat at Shepparton.  Victoria bounced back in the second heat through Grace Bilney, who was successful with Ourmatemenko (Downbytheseaside).

Bendigo trainer Alex Ashwood is a strong supporter of the initiative and was rewarded with the trifecta in the opener – Major Fire impressed on her Aussie debut to beat stablemates Feels Lika Boss and Tropical Storm.

FORMER STAR AUSTRALIAN pacer Lochinvar Art (Modern Art) should be able to bounce back into the winner’s circle in the final round of the MGM Borgata Series at Yonkers Raceway, New York, tomorrow 9.45am Australian time.

The eight-year-old stallion, now with the successful Shane and Lauren Tritton stable at Pine Bush, put together five consecutive wins before having his colors lowered and finishing second in the third round of heats of the rich series a fortnight ago.

After having to work to get to the front in a sizzling first quarter split, the pacer was then steadied to allow him to rally over the final stages.  But despite digging deep, Hemsworth N (Sweet Lou) got up on the inside and proved too strong in the run to the wire.

Lauren thought “Arty” wasn’t quite on top of his game and a subsequent scoping showed some mucus and phlegm on his lungs – which the stable says is common, especially with horses that aren’t acclimatised to the northern hemisphere winter.

The Tritton team and enthusiastic Newcastle owner Kevin Gordon, who race the horse, made the smart call to miss last week’s heats, with the pacer having built up enough points to get into the April 25 (Australian time) final.

Gordon and his wife Leonie will fly out later this week to be cheering on their superstar in the decider, expected to be worth about $US600,000.

CHARLTON HARNESS RACING CLUB is without doubt one of the most progressive around—and the annual Indigenous Djaara Pacing Cup day last Wednesday (April 12) went off in spectacular fashion.

It’s more than 10 years since the club reached a ground-breaking Land Use Agreement with the local Dja Dja Wurrung people – an partnership that cleared the way for one of the most successful Harness Racing Training facilities in Australia, and the more recent Charlton Community Centre complex development.

Each year the respectful relationship is celebrated with the Djaara People’s Cup – and was this year taken out by the in-form Horsham stable of Aaron Dunn. His promising pacer Eyethink (Sunshine Beach) was driven a treat by former Tasmanian Ryan Backhouse, who decided on a shift to the mainland at the start of the year.

Backhouse has formed a great association with Eyethink in the three months he’s been working for Dunn—landing wins at Stawell, Ballarat and now Charlton, along with a great second placing at Melton.

Dunn also got the winning feeling as a driver at Charlton when he landed the money with You Beauty (Sportswriter), bred by his parents.

Dunn is hitting his straps big time this season preparing seven wins and five placings from 16 starters, giving him a remarkable top three strike rate to starters of 75 percent. Backhouse has landed five wins and five placings from 28 drives.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink