Young driver turns a corner – the Zev Meredith story

In racing terms twenty one year old harness racing junior driver Zev Meredith hasn’t had an easy run. He’s broken up a few times and gone into a full blown gallop once but after being put aside he’s come back a better horseman.

Zev said he didn’t spend much time at school and it was harness racing that got him into something solid after he left high school.

“I was getting into a bit of trouble at primary school so the guy that lived next door was into trotting, got me into Kidz Kartz and it unfolded from there. I got behind one of the mini ponies and thought ‘I love this, and I could do this for the rest of my life,” he said.

His mother Kimm had horses including a cross country three quarter thoroughbred which she hacked, and she also worked in a racing stable for a short time with aspirations of becoming a jockey.

“I used to drive the miniatures for Paulette Screen and one school holidays she said Brent Mangos was looking for a worker so he could send his staff on holiday. I went out and drove some fast work and absolutely loved it. When I was fifteen and a half he offered me a job so I left school.”

On the 18^th Of October 2019 Zev drove his first winner with Havehorsewilltravel (Angus Hall) for Mangos, and he remembers it well.

“That was beautiful. It was only my second drive. My first drive was Gladamare (Mach Three) on the same night and she ran second, beaten by a horse (Double Or Nothing) which I’d driven at the trials the week before so I could get my junior license.”

Meredith stayed at the Mangos stable for about two years before moving to Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett’s stable where he remained for ten months.

“That was awesome working on the beach. Bernie taught me a lot. He’s a very clever man. I learned how to look after the farm with thinks like fencing.”

Zev continued, “I almost steered away from horses at that point and would have been happy being a mechanic. Then Derek Balle popped up. He offered me a job for six weeks so he could send his staff on holiday. Six weeks turned into two years. I learned patience from Derek (laughter). I think everyone knows that about Derek but does a very good job. I learned about (handling) the young ones because he’s got a lot of breakers and towards the end he’d leave me to it. I broke a lot of horses in while I was working for him. To date that’s the thing I enjoy doing the most.”

All the way through Zev said he was learning important life lessons.

“He (Balle) taught me to settle down because I ended up dating his daughter (laughter).”

Derek Balle’s daughter is Neita who also holds a junior driver’s license and has driven two winners.

So far Zev has driven six winners wearing the Balle colours.

Meredith then went to work for Peter and Vaughan Blanchard for a nine month stint.

“They gave me a pretty good crack and Pete was awesome and Vaughany is a top lad as well. I got the best of both worlds there. I got Pete’s older knowledge and Vaughany was keen to try new things. They pay a lot of attention to detail and they’re picky and precise but do a great job. They train a lot of trotters and they pay a lot of attention to their feet and their shoeing.”

Meredith has also benefited from the knowledge of Cambridge vet Rob Hitchcock from Cambridge Equine Hospital who was the main vet at the Blanchard stable.

“Arna Donnelly put up a job because Alicia Harrison her junior (driver) at the time got a job at Stonewall. I’d already driven six or seven winners for Arna before I went to work for her.”

Zev said Arna has been great for his career and has become a major influence in his life.

“She keeps me in my place (laughter). She tells me when I’m stepping across the line but she does it in a real nice way. I’ve told her more than once that I love her to bits, and I look upon her as one of the family. Her Mum and Dad and wider family have taken me under their wings. She’s right up with my mother.”

In his short career Meredith has driven thirty seven winners and he freely admits he’s a confident person.

“There’s no point in going out there thinking you’re no good. You might as well go out there thinking you’re pretty good and hope that you are. But at the same time I’m not one to blow my own trumpet.”

Zev’s current driving weight is 55 kilos.

“I could have been a jockey. It definitely makes a difference. I know over in the states they believe in it a bit and the drivers weights get declared in the race books.”

He reckons the best horses he’s driven are Kango (American Ideal) and Temporale (Monarchy).

“I got one drive of him (Temporale) in fast work. Old Temp did an amazing job.”

Temporale won twenty seven races including the G1 Rowe Cup, G1 National Trot and G1 VC Dullard Trotters Cup.

He said latterly Todd Mitchell and David Butcher have given him tutelage around race day driving.

“I get on with Toddy really good. His personality is a bit similar to mine so I take what he’s got to say quite well whether it’s a tune up or something nice. Since I’ve been working for Arna, David’s been great as well. He’s a man of few words but the words he says are very wise. Arna was a good driver too and gives me little tips here and there.”

Zev is proud that once again he’s heading to the New Zealand Junior Drivers Championships in the South Island next month.

“It’s a great experience. Going into this year I’ve taken a fair bit out of the last couple of years and learnt from it and we’ll see if I can use it.”

Meredith is representing the North Island with Crystal Hackett and Alicia Harrison. Canterbury is represented by Sarah O’Reilly, Sam Thornley, Carter Dalgety and Ben Hope while the Southern region has Kerryn Tomlinson and Tom Nally. The field is completed by Gemma Thornley, Wilson House and Korbyn Newman.

“We all get along and sing along in the van. We’re all going to be stuck with each other and if we’re going to stay in the game we’ve got to get along. Sars (Sarah O’Reilly) comes out of her shell a bit and she’ll get a good laugh out of us. Kerryn Tomlinson loves to be a bit of an entertainer. I guarantee that Bubbles (Alicia Harrison) and Korbs (Korbyn Newman) will be right up there too.”

The championship starts at Addington on Thursday 5^th October, heads to Invercargill on Friday 6^th October and concludes at Methven on Sunday 8^th October. The driver with the most points at the end of the series will represent New Zealand at the Australian Young Drivers Championship.

In 2021 Zev finished third in the championship behind Sarah O’Reilly and John Morrison.

“I want to try and get round the country next season, really put my head down and arse up and try and see if I can win the North Island Championship and have a crack at the junior premiership.”

He currently sits in tenth place in the Junior Drivers Premiership with fifteen wins.

So, after a bit of a topsy turvey season Meredith says he’s in a good space, surrounded by good people and ready to kick some goals.

“I was young and dumb. These things happen and I was lucky to have some great people behind me. The missus and her parents have been really good. Arna has locked and bolted me down. She’s got me in gold chains and platinum padlocks (laughter).”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink