Group 1 girls prepare for a special night

Shannon O’Sullivan and Abby Sanderson will share a special milestone at Menangle on Saturday night, with the two young harness racing reinswomen to hit the track for their maiden Group 1 drives.

And both will be joined by horses dear to their hearts.

O’Sullivan will partner Kate Hargreaves-trained Dont Care (Used To Me) in the Hammerhead Trotters Mile, with Sanderson to steer Catalpa Rescue (American Ideal) – a three-year-old prepared by her father Shane – in the New South Wales Derby.

For 21-year-old O’Sullivan, following in the footsteps of her legendary dad Jim and being involved in a Group 1 race is a huge thrill.

“It’s an unreal feeling,” O’Sullivan said. “This is a dream I’ve had since I was a little girl.

“I haven’t been around when Dad’s done what he’s done, but I know all about it, have heard all about it and watched it.

“It’s where you want to be when it comes to racing. You want to be driving those good horses against the better drivers and top trainers.

“I’m just so grateful and so excited.”

O’Sullivan has built a great relationship with Hargreaves in recent times and partnered Dont Care to one of the biggest wins of her career in January’s Group 3 Cobram Trotters Cup.

The pair will start from the second widest barrier on Saturday night in a race jam-packed with trotting stars. Australia’s standout squaregaiter Just Believe will be there, as will Anton Golino-trained mares Im Ready Jet and Hopeful Beauty, and Brent Lilley’s speed machine Aldebaran Zeus.

An hour after O’Sullivan chases Group 1 glory, Sanderson will get her first shot at elite level racing.

The 17-year-old teamed up with Catalpa Rescue to win the Group 2 VHRC Caduceus Classic in late January and jumps back behind him for New South Wales’ three-year-old classic.

“I’m so excited,” she said.

“To be able to go in a Group 1 with him, and in the NSW Derby which is a massive race, it’s the things we dream of.”

Sanderson’s older brother Ryan qualified Catalpa Rescue for the Derby with victory in a heat last weekend, but will drive stablemate Dangerous in Saturday night’s $200,000 decider.

Abby missed the drive in the qualifier due to suspension and is back just in time for the Group 1 feature.

“We’ve got a bad draw (11), but in saying that it’s not a bad draw until after the race,” she said.

“He’s going super and he’s really just taken it up a notch this preparation.

“If we have a little bit of luck, and we’re not too far back or they go hard early or something, I think he should definitely be right in it.”

For complete Menangle race entries, click here.

by Tim O’Connor, for Harness Racing Victoria