Different kettle of fish from the Ponies for Samantha Pascoe

Young reinswoman, Samantha (Sam) Pascoe found success on Monday placing in 3 of her 4 races at Globe Derby despite it only being her second meeting. Sam is currently studying animal science at the University of South Australia and is the daughter of long time industry participants Scott & Mandy Pascoe “For as long as dad has been around horses, he’s been in trots. He started pretty young as his dad, Kevin Pascoe, was involved… We’ve all always had horses and been around horses.”

Having success previously in the pony trots Sam competed for the first time in last Saturday’s meeting finishing sixth driving Shane Loone’s ‘Celestial Daybreak.’ Many of the current stars such as Dani Hill have started in the pony trots. When questioned whether the success Sam had in the pony trots has given her extra confidence she assured that, “It’s heaps different, its good you have a little bit of experience, but it’s a totally different kettle of fish on the horses.”

The main horse that Sam has worked with and part owns is ‘Samalise’. “I’ve driven her (Samalise) in a trial and have done a lot of track work with her. I’ve done a lot a lot of track work with Michael Smith’s horses, ‘Missy Murdoch’ and ‘Murdoch’s River’. I’ve been lucky with a lot of different trainers giving me trial drives.” As well as a lot of trainers supporting Sam’s trial drives she had the trust of trainer Kerry Brown placing second on his horse ‘Heza Presidente’, and trainer Peter Blackwell’s ‘El Demonio.’ running 3rd at Mondays meeting.

Industry trainers support has given Sam confidence. “ It’s really good that people I don’t really know that well have given me drives, obviously Dad’s going to, but it’s good having outside trainers.”

In her trials leading up to her recent races Sam suggested she was a, “little hesitant, they’re a little nerve racking, but not long and I was able to get into the groove of it.”

“Before the first race today I was still pretty nervous, but on Saturday I was nervous all night leading up to the race.” However Sam expressed that as soon as you get in the gig and start walking around the nerves disappear and there is a job to do.

Harrison Kitt