IT is a day top young driver Cameron Hart will never forget.
Winning his first Group 1 in front of his home crowd fulfilled a dream that many drivers never get to experience.
Yet, at the age of 22, Hart achieved the feat at Riverina Paceway last Sunday when claiming the Riverina Championship with Techys Angel for trainer Emma Stewart.
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āIt took a little while to sink in but as I was returning to scale it hit me that I had just won my first Group 1,ā said Hart.
āIt was pretty exciting and I got to do it at Wagga, where I grew up, and in front of all of my family too.
āIt was definitely one of those special moments I wonāt be forgetting.ā
Riverina Paceway has been significant landmark for Hart.
He drove his first Group winner there when claiming the Group 3 Wagga Pacers Cup with Beetson in 2019.
Beetson set a track record that day clocking 1:52.9, which ironically was broken by Techys Angel on Sunday when she rated 1:52.2.
Not only has Hart held the key to the track records at Riverina Paceway, he also won his first Group 2 race at that track.
That was also in 2019 when winning the Breeders Challenge Regional Final with Western Secret, a pacer trained by his Uncle Trevor White.
āIāve had a lot of luck there,ā said Hart.
Yet despite this fortune at his home track, Hart is used to the āfast-paced lifestyleā of Sydney.
He heads to Tabcorp Park Menangle today for seven drives.
Hart is the third-top driver at that track behind the likes of Luke McCarthy and Jack Trainor.
The reinsman believes he has some strong chances of adding to his record today.
āHopefully the luck continues,ā he said.
One horse Hart highlighted was three-year-old trotter Alluring Tyron in race three.
āAlluring Tyron for Russell Commens is a strong chance,ā he said.
āShe is first up from New Zealand and hasnāt been here long but has trialed well and feels like she has plenty of ability.ā
Sticking with the trotters, Hart is also keen on the Joe and Mary Rando-trained Sobomba.
āI also like Sobomba who should be able to roll to the front,ā said Hart.
āHe is well graded in his race.ā
Hartās other drives include Critical Advantage (race one), Hammertime Harley (race six), Island Fire Dance (race eight), Presidentialattack (race nine) and Vinny Chase (race 10).
Following last Sundayās result, Hart extended his record to 427 wins and 776 placings in 3093 drives.
HRNSW MEDIA |Ā AMANDA RANDO