Hoping for another Aussie visit soon

New Zealand horseman Ben Hope has learnt plenty about “how the other half lives” during a 10-week harness racing working holiday in Australia – and he clearly likes what he learned.

The 23-year-old reinsman is already looking towards a return visit early next year for a tilt at Australia’s biggest square-gaiting feature, with his family’s outstanding pair Muscle Mountain and Midnight Dash.

“We would definitely look at the Great Southern Star in February if everything goes to plan – there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge yet, but I would love to be able to do that,” Ho pe said

Parents Greg and Nina Hope successfully campaigned a team in Australia in 2016, with outstanding trotter Monbet winning the Australasian Trotting Championship (Gr 1).

Ben went within 1.9 metres of a fairytale end to his time in Australia at Melton on Saturday night (August 12), driving Aldebaran Keepa to second behind Aroha Koe in the $30K Winter Trotters Cup Final.

Earlier in the week he drove maiden trotter Kyvalley Anthony (Skyvalley) to victory at Bendigo (August 8) for his Australian boss Brent Lilley.

It was one of two wins and 12 placings recorded by Hope during his visit, the highlight of which was a third on Aldebaran Keepa in the Group 3 Matriarch Trot in June.

“I had a really good time.  Brent and Tracey looked after me really well and the trip was a great experience,” Hope said.

“I just took the opportunity to come out while things were a bit quieter in New Zealand.  My parents train quite a big team and in winter there aren’t too many big races, the racing is mainly for the lower-class horses.

“It was going to be just a couple of months but turned into 10 weeks. Things are pretty much the same both at home and in Australia, but obviously a lot more racing in Australia.  Here we’re usually only two or three times a week, but Australia can be every day.

“I was working at Brent’s stables six days a week and that’s pretty full on and then most days there were races or trials somewhere.  There are a lot of talented people over there and so helpful – it was great to get to know people like Chris Alford and also some of the really talented junior drivers.”

Hope returns home as things begin to ramp up on the NZ harness racing scene.

“We’ve got Muscle Mountain and Midnight Dash both due to race in the next little while and from late August-early September over here we’re really on the road to the New Zealand Cup and the Dominion,” he said.

“We’ve got about 30 in work at the moment, and that usually builds a bit. We’ve had a few trialling and racing quite nice and we’ll look to have a big team in this weekend.

“The trip was really just to see how the other half live and learn a bit about Australia; home is home and there’s no plan for a move or anything like that – but I would definitely like to campaign out there if it all works out.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink