27 June 2018 | Graham Fischer
Young gun South Australian reinsman Jayden Brewin added the perfect job audition to his resume winning the 2018 Elders Insurance Mid North Drivers Invitation at Port Pirie on Sunday.
Brewin, who turns 18 later this month, revealed the time was coming to leave South Australia and build a career as a harness racing driver. The young gun drove two winners from the six-race series and finished with 55 points to beat another South Australian Wayne Hill who was on 41.
Champion Western Australian Shannon Suvaljko was the best of the interstate stars with 40 points one ahead of Queensland’s Pete McMullen.
The rest of the contestants were Danielle Hill (SA) 35, Michael Bellman (Vic) 28, Kate Gath (Vic) 27, Anthony Butt (Vic) and Chris Geary (NSW) 23; Nathan Turvey (WA) 21.
“It has always been an ambition to make a career in the sport and the reality is I will have to move interstate,” Brewin said. “I have already contacted several Victorian trainers to talk about the move and I have been encouraged by the responses. I want to finish my year 12 trade course in November then look to make the move. By then I will have my junior driver claim back for the new season. Sadly, economics in South Australia make it too tough for forge a career as a driver so I will be trying to finalise a date to move and as it gets closer will be making more contact seeking an opportunity to work with an interstate stable.”
Brewin has had a sensational start to his driving career finishing fifth on the SA table with 55 winners in his first full season of driving and this year sits fifth again with a career-best 58 winners. He has also driven multiple winners in Victoria each season.
Brewin said he had approached the meeting believing he was a good chance of winning the series.
“I thought Batman Bart was a good place chance in the opening heat and believed my winners Canelliesparkle and Gotango both have good each-way prospects and my other drive, Atomic Blue Chip, which finished third also looked competitive.”
Heat one of the Elders Insurance Mid North Drivers Invitation saw Queensland’s Pete McMullen gain tops points with an all-the-way win by the Ryan Hryhorec trained Supernova Silvia.
Punters jumped into the winner and the mare firmed from $2 into $1.40 and led from gate one and scored by 18 metres from Batman Bart ($6.60, Jayden Brewin) with Eyre Space ($23.10, Danielle Hill) 10 metres away third.
Brewin had Canelliesparkle ($6) away well from gate seven trailing the speed in heat two before coming wide on the home turn and sprinting strongly to score a 6-1/2 metre win from High Class Lady ($10.20, Pete McMullen) with Melegend ($19.90, Danielle Hill), a neck away third.
The winner is trained by Port Pirie’s Dale Afford who left the following day for a five-week overseas holiday where he will take in harness racing in New York. Afford also collected a $500 trainer’s bonus for some spending money.
Canelliesparkle and Glenrae Hanover, which finished fifth as a $1.70 favourite are heading to the spelling paddock.
In the third heat, Brewin had Gotango ($11.90) in the running line before bringing her will a well-timed run to score by 2-1/2 metres from the fast-finishing Chasing A Win ($4.90, Wayne Hill) with Hez Declan ($13.20, Shannon Suvaljko) a head away third.
Trainer Michael Dennis prepared the winner and third placegetter and has his team going well.
Top SA freelance reinsman Wayne Hill was aboard Blinding Light ($1.80 fav) in heat four for trainer David Harding. After settling three back on the fence Hill took the six-year-old one wide down the back and finished best to score a three metre win from Cheersbigears ($17.40, Kate Gath) with Montanas Jet ($5.60, Anthony Butt), two metres away third.
Blinding Light has some powerful owners including Darren Thomas from Seymour Bloodstock who shared in the ownership of Merchant Navy, a winner at Royal Ascot less than 24 hours earlier, and Melbourne Football Club coach Simon Goodwin.
Harding said Goodwin had previously been involved with the stable having been a partner in Deep Pockets which won 17 races about 10 years ago.
WA’s top reinsman Shannon Suvaljko brought Little Growl ($6.80) along the sprint lane to win heat five of the Elders Insurance Mid North series to score a metre win from Wells Crest ($7.60, Danielle Hill) with Atomic Blue Chip ($4.40), Jayden Brewin) four metres away third.
Little Growl has been prepared recently for Toby Ryan after normal trainer Cheryl Herman, who bred and owns the gelding, had to go to Queensland for personal reasons.
“I’m the caretaker trainer,” Ryan said. “It will be a real thrill for Cheryl as she bred him and picks up her SA bonus with the win.”
Victoria’s Michael Bellman picked up the final win of the series leading throughout on Darkndapper ($3.40) for trainer Ryan Hryhorec who picked up a double having won the opener with Supernova Silvia.
Darkndapper scored by 2-1/2 metres from Clarenden Valour ($2.60 fav, Shannon Suvaljko) with Betting Man ($14, Wayne Hill), five metres away third.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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