Harness racing junior driver Joe Moka must have wondered where his first winner was going to come from.
Before tonight he had faced the starter 32 times for two seconds and two thirds but that elusive win seemed no closer.
All that changed in the space of three minutes and twenty one seconds as Joe reined home the impressive Fiery Lustre to an emphatic victory in the junior drivers race at Alexandra Park tonight.
Sent straight to the front from barrier two by Joe, Fiery Lustre kept up a hot tempo in front which had most of his competition struggling well before the corner.
Zakspatrol ran on well from the back but Fiery Lustre still had 3 3/4 lengths to spare at the finish and Joe had finally got the monkey off his back.
Fiery Lustre paced the 2700 metres in 3:20.9, a mile rate of 1:59.7 with closing sectionals of 56.2 and 28.7.
Joe was all smiles post race as you would expect.
" I am really happy to have won a race."
I am really buzzed to be honest to have finally cracked it."
" I have to thank Scott Phelan and the Phelan family who have really supported me throughout."
"Hopefully it is upwards and onwards from here,"Joe said.
The junior driving ranks in the North Island are not that large and Joe is a welcome addition to the list of juniors who have driven a winner in the north.
Harnesslink Media