Last week's general observation that a Young Driver's Series often throws up a harness racing driver with more than average talent appears to be holding true. The overall winner Lachie Manzelmann has only been licenced since April 2016.
In that 12 months, he has been around on 159 occasions for 16 wins and 31 placings, banking $57,000.
Just 17 years of age and now a full-time member of Team Turpin-McMullen at Patrick Estate, Manzelmann has his feet firmly planted on the road to harness success.
He will make his first Saturday night appearance tonight when he pilots Magnussen for the home stable in race two.
With one trophy in the cabinet, and many more to come, the sky is the limit for Lachie.
Special qualities
FOR readers who appreciate the difference in gait, and the special qualities that a talented traditional trotter brings to the race track, here is an excerpt from the Harness Racing Australia website and the pen of Brisbane's ace trot caller Chris Barsby:
Remember Habibti, the chestnut speed machine of some seasons back, possessed of a big finish. Habibti Ivy is the full sister. This is the New Zealand saga of the Paul Nairn trained Habibti Ivy being crowned the 2016/17 Australian Pacing Gold Trotting Master following her stunning return to racing.
The former Oaks winner has returned from the racing wilderness – nearly 22 months side lined by injury – to win five of her six races this campaign including the Group 1 Anzac Cup before finishing a narrow second in the Group 1 Rowe Cup behind Temporale last Fri- day night at Alexandra Park.
Her two efforts in Auckland were enough to snatch victory and complete a remarkable comeback.
Heading into the two final legs of the series, Australian trotter On Thunder Road held the smallest of margins but connections decided to bypass the Auckland features.
The title to be crowned the Trotting Master was going right down to the wire. And the chestnut five-year- old daughter of French super stallion, Love You pounced on the point score through her Auckland heroics. In her six starts to date this season, Habibti Ivy has amassed more than $113,000 while taking her overall earnings past $160,000.
'Greatest' sale online
WHAT is billed as Aus- tralia's greatest broodmare sale is about to take place.
Kevin and Kay Seymour are putting 41 broodmares on the market through an Australian Pacing Gold online sale.
All horses will be subject to extremely reasonable reserves as Kevin and Kay Seymour are serious about dispersing their entire stock to make room for the 30 or so fillies and mares that are due to come off the track and enter the breeding barn in the near future.
Thirty-one of the 41 mares are in foal to a range of stallions, including Art Major (1), Captain- treacherous (3), Hurrikane Kingcole (7), Mach Three (3), Mr Feelgood (11), Rock N Roll Heaven (5) and Some- beachsomewhere (1).
Prospective buyers must register with APG from Monday, May 15.
Norway lessons
IN the ongoing matter of whips, rather than relying on imperfect knowledge and what some of us would like to be the case, we have the Norwegian policy which has been successfully applied for more than 40 years.
In Norway, the ban on using whip has been in force since the mid 70's.
Our drivers are not allowed to carry with them any form of device during the race or when warming up the horses. According to our rules and regulations all goading of the horse shall be administered gently with the lines/reins.
When correcting a horse which misbehaves in a manner that can pose a risk to the driver or other attendants, the drivers are dependent on using the lines/reins, in addition to their loud voice maybe. In such cases, our stewards will allow a somewhat more excessive urging with the lines towards the horse.
In our opinion, there is no basis for claiming that more or more dangerous situations occur due to unruly horses as a result of the ban on using the whip.
I hope my answer was helpful to you.
From Med vennlig hilsen. Hanne Sæbø Sportsmedarbeider|Det Norske Travselskap
Refstadveien 27 | Postboks 194 Økern | N-0510 Oslo.
TROT TACTICS with Denis Smith
https://www.qt.com.au/news/sky-the-limit-for-young-driver/3174444/Reprinted with permission of The Queensland Times