Talented reinsman Jack Laugher is certainly a young man in a hurry in Victorian harness racing circles.
Laugher, 22, who lives at Bendigo, is still a (metropolitan) concession driver, but three months into the new season is the State’s leading reinsperson and sitting third on the national table.
“I’m having a bit of luck that’s for sure. Chris Alford has been off the scene with a serious leg infection, while another of our outstanding drivers in Greg Sugars has been a little quieter than usual,” he said.
“But I’ll keep working hard at it and if the trainers keep putting me on, you never know what might happen. I’m thoroughly enjoying it.”
Laugher gave another brilliant display of horsemanship at Mildura on Tuesday night with a bag of five winners—equalling his previous best haul which he posted back in January at the same track.
“When I did it the first time, I thought well that will probably never happen again. So it was pretty exciting to get five for a second time just two months later,” he said.
Laugher landed a treble for trainer Julie Douglas with Hayden Bromac, The High Roller and Starvin Marvin. His others were The Tooth Fairy (Rick Holmes) and Graceful Art (Peter O’Brien).
“It was probably about two years ago when I started travelling up to Mildura to drive. I was only getting one or two for a start. Then others began to put me on when they realized I was prepared to go up there regularly,” he said.
“The track is about 800 metres and doesn’t have a sprint lane. But the racing can be pretty competitive most of the time.”
With more and more opportunities over the past few years, Laugher has honed his skills at a rapid rate and the magical 100 wins for a season certainly now looks well within his reach for the first time.
“I’ve definitely improved a fair bit over the years. In my first season it took me quite a few goes to land my first winner and then I only ended up with three wins from about 100 drives,” he laughed.
“But in fairness, I wasn’t picking up the plum drives. I remember dad (Michael) was going through a rough time and wasn’t training anything real special.
“Last season was pretty good, but I had a lot of stopping and starting. I’d just get going and I’d be out on the sidelines through suspension. I reckon I probably missed at least three months, so I was pretty happy to get the wins on the board that I did (89 for the extended season).”
Laugher said that while growing up in Tasmania, he wasn’t really interested in horses.
“Dad was driving a bit and always trained a small team. I actually hated the horses when I was a kid. I was more into football and cricket,” he said.
“When I was about 15 years old, my mum Toni persuaded me to clean out the horse boxes and do the waters during school holidays. I guess it was then that things changed.
“I got through Year 12 and did all the certificates to get an apprenticeship as a mechanic, but when I got offered an apprenticeship, I then chose to stick with the horses.
“I’m not sure why I had the change of heart—I suppose they say that once you are in the sport, you never get out of it!”
Laugher has 52 wins so far to head the Victorian drivers’ premiership table. Next is James Herbertson with 48. Greg Sugars has 47 with Kate Gath, who is enjoying another fine season, next best with 46.
Looking at the National table, WA gun reinsman Gary Hall Jnr is leading the way with 61 wins. He has a four-win break on gifted Queenslander Pete McMullen, with Laugher holding down third spot.
Laugher, who recently outdrove his junior concessional claim (country), said he hadn’t noticed a drop-off in driving engagements.
“Toward the end of it, I was being put on horses and trainers weren’t really using my three point claim. Thankfully I’ve found that most have still stayed pretty loyal,” he said.
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura