Queensland harness racing young gun Angus Garrard has his feet firmly on the ground, despite completing a whirlwind first full season.
The gifted 17-year-old driver landed a sensational 125 wins and 200 placings up until the end of August, when the calendar racing season normally ends.
In the nine weeks since, Garrard has won 35 races with 87 placings.
"My parents (Daren and Gayle) are really good, but they make sure I don't get too far ahead of myself," Garrard laughed.
"They obviously keep me pretty humble, which is okay. But I do have to stop and pinch myself sometimes at how fast it has all happened."
The teenager won the 2019/20 Queensland Junior Driver's premiership and remarkably found himself in the top six or seven on the senior driving table.
"I've been really lucky because some of the big trainers and owners have got behind me. They've been unreal and I've been lucky that a lot of small stables have given me a chance too," he said.
"They're giving me opportunities on some of their best horses and a lot of the time it's without using my three-point claim."
The Garrard family is steeped in harness racing tradition with Angus' grandfather Chris Garrard OAM, a former trainer-reinsman, who still continues with owning and breeding interests. The successful businessman, the founder of Garrards Horse and Hound shops and vet practices, is renowned for his generosity to the sport and is still a major sponsor.
"My dad (Daren) hasn't driven in a race for quite a while now, but he enjoys the training side. Dad also manages the family businesses," Angus said.
"I suppose I was always going to follow in their footsteps and get into harness racing. I finished Year 12 three weeks ago and while I was at school, I didn't have any other career paths in mind.
"Since school finished, I've been helping dad at the stables and really loving it."
The youngster cut his teeth from an early age competing in the pony trots.
"I started off when I was six and was part of the minis for 10 years. It was awesome. I was very lucky to have some nice ponies along the way and won three mini-Miracle Miles at Menangle," he said.
"I then did nearly 100 trials in 12 months when I had a trials licence. I didn't have to do anywhere near that many, but it was great to get as much experience as I could."
Garrard competed in his first official race drive two days after celebrating his 16th birthday.
"I don't remember being all that nervous, probably due to all the trials I did," he said.
But it didn't take him long-just a few weeks-to land his first winner in Kylie Bromac, prepared by his dad.
He lists one of his biggest highlights as a treble at his first metropolitan meeting at Albion Park last June. Garrard won with Sir Fahrenheit (for Donny Smith), Wattlebank Flyer (Brett Cargill) and Speech Is Silver (Darren Weeks).
"The win by Sir Fahrenheit was in a $20,000 trotters cup feature race for Scott Whitton, of Tumby Park, so that was special. I've been pretty lucky with Speech Is Silver because I've won four on him," he said.
"I don't try and model myself on anyone in particular, but I've always looked up to the likes of (the late) Gavin Lang, Luke McCarthy and Darrel Graham. But all the other drivers up here in Queensland are great. They are always ready to help me out with some helpful feedback and advice."
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura