Hard work paying off for Gallagher

Menangle Park-based reinsman Josh Gallagher again finds himself well entrenched in the top group of successful harness racing reinsmen.

Gallagher is currently sitting fourth on the New South Wales Drivers’ Premiership having driven 38 winners in just four months.

This has added to more than 600 career wins in the past seven seasons, with last year being Gallagher’s best result with 154 victories, finishing third behind Cameron Hart and Will Rixon.

Sought-after by trainers around the state, Gallagher’s work ethic has contributed greatly to his success, travelling many kilometres to take drives, already competing in 355 races this year.

Gallagher works closely with the Morris family’s Lucky Lodge stables and both he and Robbie Morris share most of the drives for the stable.

Between them they have competed in almost 700 races so far in 2024, an impressive statistic considering they each drive for the same group of stables.

Gallagher will be in action tonight at Penrith, a track at where he has good success, driving 31 winners there in the past 12 months.

He will drive in six of the eight races and is likely to land a winner or two, given that he is combining with some favoured runners.

“I am always keen to take as many drives as I can at the Sydney provincial and metropolitan meetings and also venture up to Newcastle each week,” said Gallagher.

“Sometimes I also get to Bathurst and Goulburn when time permits.

“I have driven for quite a lot of trainers since I began driving in 2017 and have been fortunate that the majority of them continue to have faith in my ability and give me the call-up each week.”

One of Gallagher’s better winning chances tonight rests with the Alistair Copps-trained Bara Riley in Race 3.

The gelding is coming off the back of two minor placings and will start from gate four, Gallagher believing that from the draw the five-year-old will be right in the finish.

“He did not have much luck last time out after sitting on the leader’s back in a fast-run race and not getting clear until it was too late,” he said.

“If we are able to find a position early tonight, he will go close to winning.

“His run here last week and his narrow defeat at Menangle before that were both good efforts.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Michael Dumesny, for HRNSW