Amy’s back on the big stage

Amy Tubbs will make a long-awaited return to the Group 1 harness racing spotlight when she takes the reins of a horse she part-owns on this Saturday night’s (Dec. 31) Vicbred Super Series finals card at Melton.

The 11-time elite level winner in the sulky has only driven a handful of races since walking away from the sport in 2017, but steps back onto the big stage with Cognati (Majestic Son) in the showdown for two-year-old trotting fillies.

The $100,000 race will be just her seventh since returning to driving on a casual basis this year, with the exciting juvenile one of two runners in the final trained by Tubbs’ sister Jess.

“(Stable employee) Bailey (McDonough) chose to drive (Sam Barker-trained) Paris Jamilla – who has been going really well – and Greg said he would step onto Dichotomy and let me have a drive on Cognati,” Amy explained.

“It’s just so kind and such a lovely thing to do. I’m really looking forward to it.”

The Tubbs sisters race Cognati in partnership with Don Smith and have enjoyed a great first season with Cognati

. The time-honoured Redwood Classic is among her four racetrack successes so far and she heads into the year-ending Vicbred final as a live hope.

“I’m just excited – she’s a lovely horse,” Amy says. “I’ve driven her at home and in trials before, and I know how to get along with her. She’s very professional.

“It’s just going to be really good fun. I’m just going to get a real kick out of being out there on her.

“The fact that it’s a Group 1 is lovely, but I’ve driven in enough races to know that it doesn’t really make a difference. You can have a good time no matter what it is and I’m just thrilled to be having a little go on her.”

Tubbs is well accustomed to piloting winners – she’s got almost 700 of them – but hasn’t scored a driving victory since June 7, 2017. She claimed a double that night at Melton with Siliqua and Derrie Aire, a pair of horses she trained out of her parents’ property in Bacchus Marsh.

“That was the year that we left the farm,” she said.

“Mum and Dad sold the farm, so I finished up then. I was pretty burnt out… I’d gone pretty hard for about 15 years and decided that would do me.

“It just seemed like a good stopping point. I didn’t have the energy in me to start over somewhere else.”

Tubbs worked other jobs during her time away from harness racing, but is slowly working towards a full-time return to the industry she loves.

“I had a few years where I didn’t do any horses at all and then came back to just helping Jess and Greg for fun,” she said.

“I’ve just been their Saturday helper for the last couple of years and next year I’m going to work for them.

“They’ve got a big team and we can all pitch in together. Jess and I get on so well and it’ll be lovely to be part of things.”

Tubbs’ 11 Group 1 wins are highlighted by the 2008 Victoria Cup triumph with Melpark Major, a horse trained by her late father Alan.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Tim O’Connor, for HRV