Trans-Tasman winners at the same time

In what must be a first in harness racing, yesterday Kirk Larsen and his son Tristan each drove winners at pretty much the same time, in two different countries.

Whilst Tristan was getting Maestro (Love You) home to win at Gunbower in Victoria Australia, 2,572 kilometres away at Wingatui in New Zealand Kirk was reining the Robert Wilson trained Falcon’s Watch (He’s Watching) to do the same.

“I watched all his other races but of course I was out on the track for that one,” Kirk said.

Head of the Larsen fan club Keith Hotten said he was cross tuning between Trackside channels not knowing where to go next, but he did manage to catch both finishes – just.

Maestro, trained by Tristan’s boss Brent Lilley won by a head and paid $16.00 to win, while Kirk’s horse paid $23.90 and won by a neck.

It was twenty one year old Tristan’s thirtieth winner in Australia, adding to his twenty seven New Zealand wins.

“He’s been over there for over a year now. He was thinking about coming back for the Invercargill Cup meeting because he still owns Ward Lemon. Lil (Brent Lilley) is up at the Interdominions in Sydney at the moment so they’re pretty busy. If he did get time off he’d like to come over and drive him, but we’ll see what happens.”

Kirk says Tristan is getting eight to nine drives a week, far more that what he would get in New Zealand.

“He says its pretty full on and you don’t get much time for yourself. They start at five and work until lunch time, then they’re away (to the races). He’s even cooking and doing housework now (laughter). He wouldn’t listen to me.”

Kirk has also driven winners in both countries. He campaigned Howard Bromac in Australia in the early 2000s, winning three races there with the gelding and he’s driven 563 winners in New Zealand.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink