Wilson House “learning a lot” in Queensland

A 10-day stay in the Sunshine State in Queensland has lived to its name for top junior harness racing driver Wilson House.

“It’s been lovely here, it’s 23 (degrees) at the moment,” says House, “and it’s been nice to get out of the mud back home and see what racing here is all about.”

The Canterbury-based driver has been the spent last week or so at Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen’s barn an hour out of Brisbane. Their 30 hectare property is regarded as one of the best harness training establishments of its type.

“It’s been a great time and they have some beautiful horses.”

The trip was his prize for winning last season’s Hygain Revell Douglas Memorial Series. The junior drivers’ series is held annually to remember Revell Douglas, a well known trainer and administrator, who drowned at Karioitahi Beach in Auckland in January 2021.

“I am very grateful to the Douglas family, Hygain and to Pete and Chantal – everyone has been very welcoming.”

While it’s only been a quick trip House has had two race day drives, both on Turpin-trained runners. He drove ex Kiwi Tairlaw Toll at Albion Park on Tuesday – “I got stranded three wide” – and run third with Teddy Turpin at Redcliffe.

“It is different on race day here, they are pretty aggressive and there are a lot of hotshot young drivers!”

Known as the Triangle, because of its distinctive shape, House described driving at Redcliffe as a “unique experience.”

“It all adds to your knowledge,” says House, “and you learn a lot.”

He has some observations too of things he reckons they do well across the Tasman.

“I’m a fan of drivers wearing their own colours rather than the trainers’ colours,” says House, “and of the amount of competitive lower grade racing they have here. There’s racing six days a week.”

He’s also enjoyed “bumping into a few Kiwis around the place” and getting to see a jurisdiction that is different to New Zealand but also similar in many ways.

He’ll be on track to see the huge meeting at Albion Park on Saturday that includes the Group 1 Blacks A Fake that features the likes of star pacers Leap To Fame and Swayzee.

“It should be a ripper.”

And then House will make his way home, and be back in the mud first thing Monday morning.

by Dave Di Somma, for Harness News Desk