Weidenbach claims the 6ty° Youngbloods Challenge

Former Victorian Olivia Weidenbach was all smiles after claiming the 6ty° Youngbloods Challenge in Launceston on Sunday night.

Now based at Brighton, Weidenbach secured the most points in the four-race harness racing series.

She went into the last heat as the series leader and secured maximum points when driving Terror The Christian (Terror To Love) ($5.50) to victory.

The six-year-old gelding settled one-out and four-back before racing three wide for the final 900m of the race.

The gelding drew clear over the concluding stages, giving Weidenbach plenty of time for a victory salute.

“He’s not normally a horse I like to drive as I like to be up the front, but I had to be very patient with him tonight and come into it with one run,” said Weidenbach post-race.

Weidenbach recorded two-second placings and a third placing in the other three heats.

“I have always wanted to win the Youngbloods.

“The last few years, I haven’t been able to go into it as I haven’t had a Tasmanian license, but this year, I was able to go in it, which was really good,” she said.

“I can’t thank so many people enough like Nathan (Ford); he has taught me to sit back in the field and to go up the fence as I never liked going there, Tammy Langley for letting me have my horses there, Ben Yole for his support and of course the sponsors of the series and the trainers and owners that supported it,” Weidenbach said.

Other heats were won by Kiavino Stride ($6) for Kayleb Williams, Lynyrd Skynyrd ($4.80), who was driven by Brodie Davis and Nova Baxter ($2.10 fav) with Charlie Castles in the sulky.

Female drivers have won three of the past five runnings of the 6ty° Youngbloods Challenge, with Bronte Miller in 2021 and Taylor Ford in 2019 being recent winners.

Final points score:

Olivia Weidenbach 49
Kayleb Williams 35
Jacob Duggan 31
Charlie Castles 28
Brodie Davis 26
Andrew Freeman 24
Lachlan Dakin 19
Jack Watson 19
Malcom Jones 19
Ben Woodsford 15

For complete race results, click here.

by Duncan Dornauf, for Tasracing