Highly talented young driver Ellen Rixon has got the next chapter of her harness racing career up and going in the best possible way.
Rixon, who comes from a famous family with connections in the sport over many years, showed fine touch to land a winning double at Horsham on Monday with Luvbite (Betting Line)Ā and Kendys Butterfly (Bettors Delight).
ELLEN RIXON / LUVBITE REPLAY
āI shifted down nearly six weeks ago from Pheasants Nest (west of Wollongong in NSW) to work for Courtney Slater and her husband Mark Driscoll who train at Beeac, near Colac. Itās a fresh start and Iām thoroughly enjoying it, but the weather is way colder than back home!ā she said.
The 23-year-old is a daughter of well-known industry participants Peter and Cindy Rixon, and a grand-daughter of legendary and late Tony (A.D) Turnbull, best known for the deeds of the āBathurst Bulldogā Hondo Grattan.
Ellen started driving in the 2014/15 season and following in her footsteps are twins Will and Hannah, who are both consistently in the winnerās circle.
āI havenāt been driving full-time for two or three years. I went off studying to be a beauty therapist and was working at that,ā Ellen said.
āIād kept in touch with Courtney after I drove Goodtime Junior for her for a win at Penrith (in June 2019). The horse was a travelling companion for a nice one she brought up, Goodtime Heaven.
āWeād see each other at the sales and other places every now and then, and then recently we had a good catch-up and Courtney invited me to shift down and work at her stables.
āIt was probably the perfect timing because I had started missing the sport. I love driving and the idea of reigniting that and a fresh start in Victoria sat nicely.
āTo have the support of Courtney and Mark is great and to get my first winner down here for them was a bit special. Hopefully it kickstarts lots more success.ā
Rixonās other winner was for Paul Parsons who has also been consistently providing her with drives.
āIāve been meeting many new people and they are all lovely. I still get a three-point claim so hopefully I can keep getting some winners,ā she said.
Rixon, who has driven more than 165 winners, has now driven in five Statesāthe others being NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania ā and has a Rising Star series title to her name.
āI was lucky enough to win that and it was an awesome experience. There was a group of us, all travelling around on a bus and we all drove in two races at meetings at Young, Newcastle, Bathurst, Menangle and Penrith,ā she said.
āI also did some more travelling doing ambassador work another time, and that was also a lot of fun.ā
Ellenās father Peter last drove in the 2017/18 season and is best known for taking out a Miracle Mile win with Divisive (Live Or Die) in 2008. Her mum Cindy is a sister of successful horsemen Steve and Craig Turnbull and landed an impressive 300 winners in the sulky herself.
Rixon said driving against her parents back in NSW was a special memory, while she also competed against her younger twin siblings Will and Hannah.
āI think it was in a race at Canberra. Hannah beat us and hasnāt forgotten either!ā she laughed.
For complete Horsham race results, click here.
by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink