Maiden success fuels driving ambition

Over the past 14 years, Riverina harness racing driver Luke Mulley has only had about 14 drives, but that’s all about to change.

Mulley last week recorded his first ever victory as a driver at Wagga Wagga’s Riverina Paceway and he’s keen as mustard to now get a second win.

“It was a big thrill because I don’t drive a great deal – I prefer to do the training side.  I couldn’t even celebrate because I had to rush back to work,” Mulley said.

“I’ve got a commercial cleaning business called Prestige Cleaning which employs about 25 or 30 people. Unfortunately, I just had to get back at it—because that’s what pays the bills,” he said.

Mulley was happy to race in the death-seat with three-year-old gelding Billy Glanvill (Tintin In America), prepared by renowned horseman Bernie Kelly, in the opening event, the $9792 Conquest Pools Pace.

“I train a few out of Bernie’s place and we work in pretty good together. Billy had been doing a few things wrong a while ago, breaking up in his races, so we decided to try to build on his confidence,” Mulley said.

“I did a heap of strong cantering work. There was a lot put into him and we were confident he would pace all the way and go very close at Wagga.  He has plenty of ability and he trialled nicely five days out.

“Bernie watched the race from home, but his wife Dianne who is the breeder-owner, was on track with a little group of girlfriends.

“The horse felt good in the race, but I was mindful of not throwing the reins at him near the finish in case he galloped. He only just got there, but the others were hard at it.”

Mulley said he’d been at the Kelly property for only a couple of months after deciding to rejoin the sport after a break.

“I gave it away for a bit because I was so busy with work. I sold up all my horses, gear, horse float and everything else. I got into long distance running and did some 24-hour runs, but didn’t enjoy it towards the end,” he said.

But Mulley said the realisation of “waking up without a passion” steered him back into harness racing.

“I’ve always loved them, and it was a mental stimulation.  When I was into the horses, I looked forward to getting up to it each day and always found it a bit of therapy to unwind.”

“There does need to be a happy medium though and I’ve cut back with work. When I gave up on the horses before, I couldn’t fit it all in—and they were the one thing that had to go.

“I got rid of everything when I got out of them, so when I came back and bought two horses from New Zealand and one from Victoria I had to go out and buy another horse float!” -Luke Mulley

Mulley said he had always been intrigued by the sport while growing up in Coolamon.

“At Coolamon there’s one meeting a year on Anzac Day and I’d go after taking part in the ANZAC Day march,” he said.

“At the end of school, I approached a local trainer Russell Rutland, who was an amazing horseman. He’d look at a horse and almost immediately knew how it would be best shod and what harness it needed.

“My interest grew from there. I’ve found that you have to be strong; you’ve got to keep at it and just be resilient. It’s a challenge to sort this thing out that can’t talk.”

Mulley, who has trained more than 20 winners, said during his time with Bernie Kelly, he’d learnt to be very patient and consistent with the horses.

“There’s none better than Bernie in this area and probably a lot further. He’s a great conditioner and has a training format he follows. He’s in his mid-80s now, but he’s still breeding and breaking them in. He leaves the racehorses to me, but still jumps in the cart and does fastwork,” Mulley said.

“I’ve always been more into the training side, rather than the driving. I don’t rate myself much of a driver because I think you have to do it all the time to be good at it – but I have to admit I’ll be putting my hand up next start to drive Billy!”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink