Young gun taking her chances in the sulky

With more opportunity has come great rewards for young Taylor Youl, who is quickly making her mark as one of the state’s most successful young harness racing drivers.

The 19-year-old sits third on the Victorian concession premiership behind James Herbertson and Ryan Sanderson, recently chalking up the 50^th winner of a breakthrough season in the sulky.

Youl has thrived with the volume of drives provided to her by Ben Yole’s Kilmore stable, which she began working for late last year.

“I had a bit of a slow start I’d say,” she said.

“I didn’t really drive all that much last season and then when I moved to where I am now, obviously I get a lot of drives. I drive nearly every day, probably five times a week.

“Before I moved here, I wasn’t getting many drives. I’d get the odd one here and there, so moving here at least gave me the opportunity to drive the amount of numbers I’m driving.”

Youl, who is the niece of Junortoun trainer Kent Harpley, kick-started her career in September 2021 and broke through for her first winners on November 26 of that year. That proved a memorable day at two tracks for the youngster, who broke the duck at Maryborough aboard the Harpley-trained Harts Last before doubling up later that evening with the Jess Tubbs-trained Cherokee Joe at Ballarat.

Youl drove just seven winners in her first two seasons at the races, but has really thrived in 2023 with 57 at a strike rate of 14 per cent.

“I want to win a metro race. I haven’t won one yet,” she said.

“I won one at Melton on a Saturday night, but it was only a $10,000 race.”

And which horse might be the most likely to provide her with that elusive win? Perhaps the Yole-trained Jeremy Wells (Sweet Lou), who Youl will partner in the last event at Kilmore on Friday night.

“He’s going very well,” she said. “If it was on him it would be very nice because he’s my favourite.”

by Tim O’Connor, for Harness Racing Victoria