Another milestone for youngster with Metro treble

Young Victorian reinsman Ryan Sanderson continues to rack up career milestones, with his first Melton Saturday night (August16) metropolitan treble highlighting an already impressive harness racing season.

The 22-year-old, who sits just shy of 500 career victories (currently 477), partnered three winners for the all-conquering Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin stable.

Sanderson, who made his race driving debut in 2019 when his family was based in New South Wales, was handed the Tonkin-Stewart drives in the absence of regular stable reinsman Mark Pitt, who was campaigning his wife Lisa’s exciting two-year-old Ride The Highs in Queensland.

“It was definitely a thrill. I haven’t had a treble at a Saturday night meeting at Melton before, but it definitely helps when you drive those good quality ones!” Sanderson said.

“I had a bit of luck because Pitty had gone to Queensland, and the stable had quite a few runners coming back that were having first and second starts, so it was really good timing for me.

“I haven’t driven a lot for the stable before, but I did drive one or two with a five-point lift back when I had a claim.  So I guess that junior claim opportunity lets you make the connection with stables that might come back to you later.

“Pitty will be back next weekend, but hopefully I might get an opportunity on some second and third stringers again in future.”

Sanderson steered War Dan Buddy (Art Major) to victory in the opening event, the Hertz Melton Pace, followed by Storms Collide (The Storm Inside) in the Garrards Horse and Hound Pace. He capped off the treble with a dominant seven-metre success aboard Fox Dan (Art Major) in the Hip Pocket Castlemaine Pace.

All of Saturday night’s Melton results and replays here:

It’s the latest achievement for Sanderson, who has posted more than 100 wins in each of the past three seasons and boasts a career strike rate that belies his age and experience. So far this season he has driven 76 winners at a 19 percent strike rate.

Sanderson combines his freelance driving commitments with the family’s harness racing and equestrian business at Willowood Farms, Murchison.

Parents Shane and Naomi, along with Ryan and his sister Abby, train a strong racing team as well as offering pre-training, rehabilitation, agistment, and conditioning services, with facilities including a water walker, treadmill, and walker.

“It’s such a lovely place. It’s been great to train our racehorses here, but it’s obviously a terrific place for spellers, pre-trainers and rehabbers as well,” Sanderson said.

“There are definitely quiet weeks and busy weeks, but overall we’ve got a good routine going.

“I’ve got a relatively quiet week ahead, a couple of drives at Shepparton (Tuesday night) and Bendigo (Wednesday night).

“But Dad thinks Dangerous might race at Wagga on Friday – so that’s definitely something to look forward to.”

An Inter Dominion heat winner in December (finishing 5^th in the final), the five-year-old last raced when a runner-up in the Charlton Pacing Cup in March to stablemate Catalpa Rescue (American Ideal).

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink