Geoff Lucas may have only done it sparingly across the past 30 years, but the thrill of driving a horse is a joy that will never dull. The Mildura harness racing owner and trainer had his 74th start as a driver at Tabcorp Park Melton on Monday, his debut at the circuit which came at age 63 when contesting a race restricted to those who have piloted no more than 10 winners.
“It’s just the excitement of the close racing, the push and shove,” Lucas said. “It’s an adrenalin rush when your horse is up on the bit and travelling well, when you go around the corners and feel your wheels slide underneath you, and when your horse hits the front it feels even better.
“I always got a lot of satisfaction when the horse I was driving ran to the best of its abilities. It’s just an incredible feeling.”
Since making his debut in 1984-85, Lucas has exacted five wins from 74 starts as a driver, yielding $8247 in stakes, figures that pale next to his achievements as a trainer and, even more so, an owner.
Those drivers' stakes weren’t given much of a nudge along on Monday, when Lucas piloted Picobello to fifth, with Glenn Douglas’ five-year-old tiring and failing to threaten for a place. But that didn’t dampen Lucas’ enthusiasm.
Before this week, the last time Lucas enjoyed the thrill of driving was December 18, 2012, when he took the reins of his own horse, $2.80 favourite Daylight Dan, at Charlton.
“I drove him and he was going that good that I pulled out three-wide and he won the race fairly easily, and I thought that’s it, I’m never driving again,” Lucas said.
Daylight Dan produced 16 wins from his 126 starts, including the 2013 Boort Pacing Cup and a city race – the Empire Stallions Vicbred Pace. Both were won when Douglas was his trainer.
Given few have brought Lucas more joy it would have been a fitting end to his driving career, but there was at least one more twist in the tale when Douglas offered Lucas’ the drive on Monday, an opportunity too good to refuse.
“It would have been nice to have run a place, we finished fifth, but I still really enjoyed it,” Lucas said. “I was amazed by the camber of the track, if you get one or two-wide you are really looking down on top of the other horses.
"I have to thank Glenn and Eric (Anderson) for letting me have that drive. I love the industry all over – I love to follow the breeding, love to watch them race.”
Michael Howard