Herbie lands 1000th winner

Victoria’s leading reinsman James Herbertson notched up his 1000th career win when he partnered talented juvenile Bay Of Biscay (Somebeachsomewhere) to harness racing victory in a heat of the Vicbred Super Series (2YO Colts & Geldings) at Kilmore. 

The 23-year-old Herbertson holds a commanding lead over Chris Alford in the Victorian State Drivers Premiership. 

The son of accomplished horseman Ashleigh, Herbertson drove fast work as soon as he was tall enough to sit properly in the sulky. 

“I was a bit short as a young kid so I had to wait until my feet could reach the crossbar before I could drive fast work at around the age of 10,” Herbertson said. 

Herbertson recalls a premature end to his schooling at St Pats College Ballarat. 

“I had been driving horses full time during the holidays and started to talk adult language and two days into Year 11 at St Pats I must have said something out of place and the teacher suggested to Dad that I should do something else,” he said. 

The first of Herberton’s 1000 wins was aboard his father’s horse Tearitup at Terang in March 2016 at his racetrack debut. 

Herbertson credits Matt Craven for providing the encouragement he needed to forge a career in the sulky. 

“Even though I was around horses I wasn’t overly passionate about driving and Matty was the one who persuaded me to give it a go,” he said. 

Herbertson’s first Group 1 success was steering Savannah Jay Jay to victory in the Australasian Trotting Championship at Melton in 2019. 

“That was a big thrill and I’ve been lucky enough to drive such good horses as Supreme Dominator, Nephew Of Sonoko and more recently Bay Of Biscay,” he said. 

But Herbertson acknowledged the support he has received from a plethora of small stables throughout his career to date. 

“It’s the opportunities I’ve received from the smaller people in the harness racing which has got me to where I am today,” he said. 

“And it’s also the guidance I’ve had from Dad who is a great horseman in his own right.” 

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink