Young trainer on the rise at new base

The 2024 season has brought some big highs and some very deep lows for young Victorian harness racing trainer-driver Luke Tabone – but he checked off another career highlight last week during a trip to New Zealand.

Amidst his best season as a trainer, Tabone’s life was turned upside down when, in May, his partner Laura Burrell was kicked in the face by a horse at her work for a Ballarat galloping stable.

“Laura was flown to hospital on life support and spent two months in hospital. To be honest, she’s lucky to be alive,” Tabone said.

“She had a traumatic brain injury and bleed on the brain.  She’s improving all the time now, and they expect she will make a full recovery, but it was touch and go for a while,” he said.

Laura was finally released from hospital two weeks ago and the young couple decided to head to New Zealand at the first opportunity to visit Laura’s family.

“It’s been great to get Laura back home and while we were here, I was hoping to have a look at some New Zealand horses my parents and I were interested in,” Tabone said.

“Dad’s bought quite a few horses from New Zealand over the years, and I rang Bruce Negus about a few we were keen on.  We’d only been talking a few minutes and he offered me a drive at Addington on one of the horses he had available.

“I was a bit shocked but what a great opportunity for my first drive in New Zealand.”

Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out to plan last Friday night with Tabone’s drive on 3yo Auntie Deb, but the opportunity for a drive at the home of the sport in New Zealand was no doubt a career highlight for the 25-year-old.

“It’s been a terrific season, and we’re having a great run at the moment,” he said.

“We’ve got a nice team of horses. We recently bought a couple from New Zealand that are doing okay, and we have a couple we’ve bought from the sales in previous years that are now three and four and starting to hit their straps.

“Just Pedro (Always Be Miki) is a three-year-old and he’s had three wins this season, and another three year old My Way (Art Major) is one we bought from New Zealand and he’s won one, but he’s one of the nicer horses in the stable.”

The 25-year-old was born into the sport, with his dad training successful horses such as 29-times winner Cruz NZ (American Ideal) which Luke co-owned, and Chaslee NZ (Caprock) 14 wins, after whom their former property was named.

Luke has trained 13 winners this season, and among the highlights are a training double at Geelong in April, (Just Pedro and City Rockstar) as well as training the horse that gave Chris Alford his 8000^th winner, Im Wesley at Ballarat in February.

Tabone, who works as a quality manager for a bathroom manufacturing company, is confident the horses are responding to the improved facilities at the new 100-acre Bacchus Marsh property.

“We had a bit of a quiet period at the old place while we were transferring stables and setting up the new place,” he said.

“We’ve been in here nearly 12 months now.  It’s nowhere near finished but it’s got a nice track and barn and the things that we need, and the other things will come.

“I’d love to think that one day I could have a go at this full time but for now, it’s just a hobby, and we’re having fun!” he said.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink