Judge can’t separate Jake and Josh

Joshua Gallagher and Jake Bigeni thought they had won as the harness racing horses crossed the line in the Jazz Sundays@Club Paceway Pace at Penrith. 

And both drivers were right! 

Race caller Fred Hastings too was on the money when he said ‘this is nearly a dead heat’ as both horses hit the winning post. 

Bigeni urged Zen Master (Art Major) out of the gate sufficiently to hold the lead from the pole while Gallagher and Tommy Tiger (Highview Tommy) sat parked outside the leader before getting cover with 1200 metres to travel. 

Tiger Tommy ($5) pulled out three wide with 300 metres to travel and made a last ditch dive at Zen Master ($4.60) on the line however the judge was unable to separate the pair. 

“I sort of thought I’d won,” Bigeni said. 

“We weren’t close together but I was a little surprised when it was a dead heat,” he said. 

ZEN MASTER / TOMMY TIGER REPLAY

A third generation harness racing participant, Bigeni was having only his second drive on Zen Master. 

“I drove him once before as a two-year-old last year, Lleyton Green is the normal driver but he has gone to Melbourne with a trotter this week,” he said. 

The 20-year-old Bigeni is the son of Simon Bigeni Jnr who prepares a small team at Willbeforce on the Hawkesbury River. 

“My grandfather Simon Snr also trained horses,” he said. 

Gallagher admitted he was confident Tommy Tiger would get the verdict. 

“It was pretty tight but I thought that I’d got there on the post,” Gallagher said. 

For Gallagher it was the first time he’s climbed into the sulky behind the Kevin Pizzuto trained mare. 

“The horse is usually driven by Jack Brown who has had an operation on his ear,” he said. 

The 23-year-old Gallagher has driven 134 winners and is enjoying his best season to date. 

“I’m going to every track and getting more opportunities,” he said. 

“I have driven 122 and 124 winners in the past two seasons and I’m hoping to get to 150 this season,” he said. 

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink