Herbertson a young man in a big hurry for ID24

A dash from France back home to take a plum drive in the Inter Dominion second round heats tomorrow night (Dec 4) at Bathurst is just another twist in the remarkable year that has unfolded for Australia’s leading harness racing driver James Herbertson.

Herbertson has spent the past 10 days in France working alongside world-renowned horseman Jean-Michel Bazire in Paris, then competing in the Prix des Recontres Internationales (International Prize) at Vincennes on Saturday morning (Australian time).

Herbertson was sponsored by Harness Racing Victoria as Australia’s under 25 representative in the invitational, which featured drivers from across Europe and North America.

He finished an unlucky fifth, but has relished the eye-opening experience of being immersed in the French trotting industry at the stunning Domaine de Grosbois training centre.

But that experience is now in the rear-view mirror for the time, with Herbertson boarding a flight on Monday night (AEDT) in time for the Inter Dominion second qualifying round heats, at Bathurst tonight.

Herbertson has formed a strong recent partnership with one of the key chances in Mach Dan, and was booked by trainer Emma Stewart to drive the million dollar earner in the second round.

Herbertson stipulated, before flights were booked for the France trip, that he needed to be back in Australia for Inter Dominion round two qualifiers.

The 24-year-old drove Mach Dan for a win at Melton in 2021, but again got the callup to drive him in August this year.  The pair has had two wins and three placings from Herbertson’s five drives since – including a runner up performance to Leap to Fame (Oct 5) in the Smoken Up Sprint at Melton, and third to Swayzee in the Victoria Cup (Oct 12).

Bailey McDonough handled Mach Dan in the first qualifying round and the seven-year-old ran home stoutly for an eye-catching fourth, four metres from the winner Captains Knock.

In the second round, Mach Dan again faces a difficult draw (barrier seven) but will be in a position to potentially use some of his blistering gate speed.

“He has great manners and is a pleasure to sit behind – you can blast off the gate and he comes back to you, and you can drive him on a pinky,” Herbertson has said of Mach Dan.

Herbertson has recorded 1429 career wins including four Gr 1s and six Gr 2s.  He is enjoying an electrifying 2024 season with 344 wins, well clear of his nearest rival on the national premiership Pete McMullen (255). Herbertson’s previous best season was 2023 with 251 wins and this is his fifth-consecutive season with 180-plus wins.

See the full program of Inter Dominion second round qualifiers, click here.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink