Clerk of the Course Barry Sambrooks and his noble steed Tom had to think quick to rein in a loose Macho Maori at Charlton on Wednesday.
Sambrooks used all his experience to capture the runaway standardbred after he tipped out harness racing reinsman Brent Murphy at the start of the second event.
The four-year-old cut through the middle of the track before Sambrooks finally caught up with the gelding, bringing him to a halt in front of spectators lining the fence along the home straight.
āI missed him the first time. I thought he was going to stay on the track and I was going to pick him up on the right hand side,ā Sambrooks said. āThe bugger ducked in behind me as you can see, but I eventually caught him, no-one was hurt and it ended up good.ā
The special act is all in a dayās work for the Clerk.
āIt was a pretty average act, it can be a lot worse,ā he said.
āThe horse wasnāt really panicked. When he cut inside of me, it kind of threw me. But when I caught him, it wasnāt a problem and he pulled up quite comfortably.ā
The Charlton and wider harness racing community have applauded the act of courage.
āWe appreciate that sort of thing (praise), we donāt look for it of course,ā he said. āItās just nice we are appreciated. The stewards congratulated me and thatās good to know, but itās just part of our job.ā
Social media has been in a frenzy over vision of the chase, which was described in entertaining style by legendary Harness Racing Victoria caller Dan Mielicki.
āAnother Clerk of the Course has peeled out in front of the loose horse, who goes to the inside of the track and doges and weaves, bounces the ball twice as he runs towards the goal posts,ā Mielicki said.
“And the loose horse has got away again. The Clerk of the Course is in hot pursuit, he goes, he lunges to pick him up and he got him!ā
While Macho Maori was scratched from the event, thankfully all involved in the incident walked away unscathed.
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byĀ Lachlan Mitchell,Ā for Harness Racing Victoria