Former Kiwi’s driving ambition

New Victorian harness racing team Josh Dickie and Sammy Kilgour have wasted no time getting into the winner’s circle after formalizing their training partnership.

And while a victory only four starts in for the new Dickie-Kilgour training combo was a welcome milestone, for Dickie, there are other ambitions on his agenda.

“It was a nice achievement because it was a big decision for us to pack up and have a crack on the big stage over here,” Dickie said.

“Now I’m going to concentrate on picking up more race drives because that’s something that I really love doing,” he said.

“I have a great passion for driving. I drove a lot back home and I’m slowly getting my name out over here. Nathan Purdon has been a good supporter as well as David Aiken and a few others.

“When we moved, we realized it wasn’t going to happen overnight, but I’m keen and I’ll go anywhere.”

Dickie drove more than 450 winners back in New Zealand and gave punters no stress whatsoever with an all-the-way victory with gelding Power Up NZ (Art Major-Christian Dreamer (Christian Cullen), who was sent out $1.90 favorite in a 3YO Maiden Pace at Melton.

“He was bought out of a sale in Christchurch a couple of years ago by well-known owner Domenic Martello,” Dickie said.

“We first of all got to know Domenic when he was racing Big Jack Hammer in New Zealand in late 2019 in the Inter Dominion series. The horse was stabled at our place, and it just went from there.

“We’ve actually got two of his and there’s another one still over in New Zealand.  A bay pacing colt named American Hammer, by American Ideal out of a Group One mare in Lancewood Lizzie looks good, while trotter Majestic Chick goes really nice, but is high up in grade.”

Dickie and Kilgour are based at Toolern Vale north of Melton and are preparing a team of about a dozen trotters and pacers.

“We’re happy with that number because there’s only Sammy and myself doing them,” he said.

Dickie has nine Group One driving victories to his credit, with four of these being in Australia. He took Speeding Spur (Pegasus Spur-Della’s Speed (Chiola Hanover) and another trotter in Kratos (Majestic Son-Hanover The Gold (Evander’s Gold) to several of these feature wins.

After arriving in Australia, Dickie was quick in landing his first driving winner in January at Melton. He handled square-gaiter Three Bros (Dejarmbro-Right Yankee (Yankee Paco) for Kyabram trainer Peter Hall.

“We’re really enjoying it over here. It wasn’t an easy decision to move because things had been ticking over really well back home,” he said.

“But the opportunities available to freelance drivers was the key factor. You can drive nearly every day of the week over here, and I’m keen to concentrate on my driving.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink