There was the potential that Amber Lethaby could have been locking away criminals instead of stealing races as she did when driving two winners in one day at Rangiora recently.
Now sitting on 90 career driving wins and with just over three months remaining in the racing season Lethaby can already celebrate another well-earned milestone.
The hard working Canterbury based reinswoman recently piloted her eleventh winner for the season (from just 50 drives) when collecting victories behind Globe Trekker and Justamollyarcher, both trained by her father Ray Jenkins. In doing so she marked her most successful in the sulky in her 17 year driving career.
And it very nearly didn’t happen.
Just two years ago Lethaby almost gave harness racing away to become a Police Officer.
“I went through the early stages of becoming a Cop, but the racing bug stuck out in the end,” explained Lethaby.
Growing up in Southland, the harness racing influence is ingrained in her early memories.
“I remember sitting on Dad’s knee driving a horse at the Southland farm at about the age of five or six,” said Lethaby. “Another great memory I have is of Dad having Tobago win the Dominion Handicap in 1989.”
Her father Ray Jenkins she has been one of her biggest mentors, but she also paid tribute to Henry Skinner who had driven Tobago to success in the Dominion and also the Ordeal Trotting Cup (1990) an Ashburton Trotters Flying Mile (1989) and New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All (1989).
“Anthony Butt I’ve also thought a lot of as a driver,” said Lethaby.
After studying a diploma in Sport and Recreation at the Southern Institute of Technology when based in Southland, Lethaby made the decision as a junior driver to follow her driving career full time and move to Canterbury when her father purchased his stables in Christchurch.
“It was a relevant move for me,” she said.
Many of her successes have been for Ray Jenkins which adds another level of satisfaction.
“It’s special because a lot of his horses are his own breed,” explained Lethaby. “Other than that the rest are all owned by family or very close friends that we have grown up with.”
Highlights in her career so far include winning on Cup Day with Global Invasion in 2011 (the dam of Globe Trekker) and the UDR driving record she has recorded so far this season – currently at .2956.
She’s also had hands on experience with two former Horse of the Year award recipients.
“I previously worked for Horse Power Experience where we raced Lyell Creek and Take A Moment in dual sulkies for a commercial tourist business after they had retired.”
The Flying Nun is another horse that stands out in her memory, the mare won just three races but made an impression.
“She was the fastest trotter I have ever driven, but she was mad with it. We won in a New Zealand record at Winton once and then she was bought by Brian West as a broodmare.”
Lethaby puts this season’s success down to the horsepower available to her and continued support from the industry.
“The combination of Jason and Dad’s teams both being the best they have been in recent years contributes, and also having other drives from the likes of Bruce Graham and Donald Feast also helps immensely.”
When it comes to being a working mother in the racing industry she says support has been the key.
“Having the support of family and friends which are involved in the game and understand the needs of the business really helps a lot.”
Lethaby has been employed in Mark Jones’s team for the past seven years, and will voyage into new territory from next season.
“This coming season we are combining both Ray and Jason’s teams into one which I will be running from Dad’s West Melton stables. We will train under the partnership of Jason and Amber Lethaby Stables.”
“We hope to continue the success of both stables and expand to hopefully train new horses under new ownership.”
If any owners are interested in becoming involved with the new partnership they are encouraged to contact Amber or Jason directly.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
