Hart finds the right pulse

She has worked alongside some of the best horses in Australia and now harness racing trainer Ashley Hart is making a name for herself.

The 25-year-old has been a stablehand for many top stables working with the calibre of horses likes King Of Swing and Bling It On to name a couple, but the decision to start training her own team paid dividends at Menangle on Saturday night (Jul. 30).

With just her third starter, Hart not only obtained her first winner but the feat was achieved at Group 3 level when her Roll With Joe pacer Defiant won the Winter Championship Final.

Topping it all off, the milestone was shared amongst Hart’s family with her brother Cameron Hart driving the winner and her uncle Trevor White breeding and owning Defiant.

From the one barrier, Cameron Hart positioned Defiant behind the leader, gaining a clear run in the home straight to win in a career best mile rate of 1:51.3.

DEFIANT REPLAY

It was just four starts ago Defiant won the Group 1 Regional State Final when in the care of White.

As for Hart, she has driven 79 winners and made the decision to start training her own team just this month while also working at Aquagait, the water-walker at Menangle Park Training Centre.

She has worked for some of the premier trainers in Australia including Luke and Belinda McCarthy as well as Kate and Andy Gath and Noel Daley when he was based at Menangle.

Meanwhile, it was a night of firsts at Menangle with 17-year-old reinsman Jack Brown driving his first metropolitan winner.

Brown achieved the milestone on the Jack Trainor-prepared B K Swy (Big Jim).

For complete race results, click here.

by Amanda Rando, for Harnesslink