Just getting a winner is the name of the game!

Whether it’s a winner “in town” or steering a lowly-assessed horse to a country victory, easy going Victorian Western District harness racing driver Lochie Cook gets a big kick out of it either way.

“I got a double at Melton a while back and it obviously was a big thrill.  People asked me if it was my major highlight in the sport. I told them yes it was…along with every other winner I’ve been lucky enough to get,” he said.

“It’s pretty special when you get one home for a hobby trainer at a little country track. I still get a five-point country claim and I really don’t mind travelling to take outside drives.”

The 23-year-old, who has driven 60 winners, works for successful trainer Marg Lee at Ecklin South, near Terang.

“I’ve been here for five years and just love it. I did think that one day I’d like to be out training some of my own, but I’m very happy doing what I’m doing, so I can’t ever see that happening,” he said.

“There’s a great bunch out here and Marg is doing about 35 at the moment. But as it gets warmer the numbers start increasing.

“As well as the horses, they run a dairy and occasionally I’ve been called upon at 5.30am to help with the milking, but not all that often.”

Cook said while he was attending secondary college, he didn’t know what would eventuate as a career path.

“I was probably thinking that university may have been the next step,” he said.

“But I got to know Marg and all the boys while I was working in the numbers room at the Terang harness racing track.

“I started going out to their stables after school, working part-time. Then when they gave me a share in the pacer Code Bailey, that was it – I just fell in love with it.”

He certainly landed on his feet as a first-time owner – Code Bailey has had 53 starts for 18 wins and just over $300,000 in stakes.

Cook didn’t come from a harness racing family with his parents having no interest in horses when he was growing up.

“But mum and dad watch me when I’m driving now as much as they can. It’s so good working with Jason (Lee) and Glen (Craven) because they’re great reinsmen and they are a big help to me,” he said.

“Then there’s also Tom Rundle and Antti Ruokonen who are here and they also train a few of their own. Antti is from Finland and has driven back over there and in Sweden as well.

“They are a great crew. At weekends we play football for Nirranda Football Club and Antti is the water boy.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink