Older hits ground running in Tassie return

Talented 20-year-old reinsman Liam Older didn’t take long to find his way back to the harness racing winner’s circle on his return home to Tasmania.

Older, who spent the past two-and-a-half years working for several Victorian stables, and was the leading concession driver at his home Bendigo track, struck gold with well-supported gelding We Salute You (Well Said) in the $9700 Smithawards Pace at Hobart last Sunday (May 18).

“I decided to make the move back and take advantage of the higher stake money, which means drivers can make a little bit extra. It also cuts down my hours spent travelling on the road,” he said.

“At this stage, I’m staying over here until at least the end of the year. In just a week, I drove in 10 races, so if I can start getting more winners, then hopefully more trainers will give me outside drives. I’m keen to do as well as I can.”

Older has driven 124 winners and was a regular driver in Victoria for several stables, including respected square-gaiting horseman Ray Cross, based near Maryborough.

“I developed a good relationship with Ray, and he was great. So, while a lot of my focus was trying to keep the trotters in their gait, now my challenge in Tassie (as they don’t have trotting events) will be to get pacers to step cleanly from the standing start tapes,” he said.

Older is now working with Todd Rattray, who prepares a large team at Longford, about 20 minutes from Launceston.

“I worked for Todd previously for about 12 months, and it was awesome to just get over here and straight back into it. He’s doing about 35 with a lot of babies,” he said.

“Apart from driving at nearby Launceston meetings, I’ll be a regular at Hobart, which is about two hours away. Both those tracks are 1000-metre circuits and are really good.”

With no family background in harness racing, Older’s interest began around the age of 15.

“One day I wandered over to the stables of Michael Laugher, father of Jack who is based at Bendigo with Ellen (Tormey),” he said.

“I’d never touched a horse before, but I enjoyed it. Then I’d go over there every weekend, and it just grew from there.”

“I probably spent two years learning and just loved it. My time in Victoria was so good, working for top stables such as Glenn Douglas, Alby Ashwood, and Jack and Ellen. Last season was my best with 49 winners—I won the very last race for the year and still fell short of getting to 50!”

Away from the track, Older enjoys playing AFL.

“I play either rover or half forward and I’ve signed up with Bridge North. It should be fun because it’s just a country league.”

Older, who was working at stables around Bendigo, said he used to think the winters in Central Victoria were cold, but he’s quickly been shocked back into Tassie extremes.

“The other morning over here it was minus five—and it felt every bit of that, I can guarantee,” he laughed.

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink