Victory aboard the aptly named Highview Sign last month set Clifton driver Stacey Weidemann on her way to a heartfelt win in the two meeting Mitavite Marburg Ipswich West Young Drivers Invitation Championship decided on Saturday and it was likely that she had her biggest supporter smiling from above.
Saturday’s Championship win meant a lot to Stacey, so much so that she a special tribute to her pop soon after the race. In March this year the Weidemann family lost harness racing stalwart, Ross Weidemann.
“My biggest supporter didn’t get to witness me take the honours, but I sure hope he got a smile on his dial up there,” Stacey said.
“Poppy was my biggest fan, he always was behind me telling me to have a go, I do miss that”
The up and coming young driver who celebrates her 24th birthday early next month also congratulated the Marburg Pacing Association for the event and thanked the sponsors, Mitavite and the Ipswich City Council.
Stacey, the niece of harness racing sisters Julie and Lola Weidemann, didn’t get a winner at Marburg on Saturday but her drives were competitive enough for the concession driver to take out the 2015 title. The two meeting race series was raced on 3 May and 20 June.
“The horses I drove during the Championship raced well and I was appreciative that the trainers were encouraging, they were really good with no pressure, that helps,” Stacey said.
On day one Stacey drove a winner, Highview Sign and a third placed Fiscal Cliff and went into the final day of competition just ahead of Hayden Barnes who also got a good start in the series with a winner Wecanonlyhope and a fourth placed Eternal Glory. Really, Stacey only needed to place better than Hayden in the two races to stay on top of the leaderboard.
The big movers in the competition were the runner up Amy Rees who catapulted herself into contention driving the first winner and Matt Elkins who steered home the second heat winner.
Stacey’s drives Hez To Blame and Extreme Makeover both finished in 5th place in their respective heats while Hayden’s drives Rubys Falcon and Melton Maxbye finished 8th and 4th respectively.
Amy sent out the clear message that she was there to play hard when she scored an emphatic 18.4 metre win $1.25 favourite Stylish Boulevard for Bart Cockburn in heat one. Matt finished fourth in the first heat on Man With Attitude. Amy needed the $2.70 favourite Half Moon Bromac to win the second heat to dislodge Stacey from the top position. After leading most of the way, Half Moon Bromac failed by two metres to get the prize with Matt getting home first on the Julie Weidemann-trained Isobell Maree, a head in advance of Uncle Paul driven by Michael Johnson.
Justin Storie who competed on day one of the series was not available to drive in the second round and the Marburg Pacing Association invited Nathan Dawson as his replacement. The points earned by each driver were allocated to their own personal tally.
By David Aldred – RQ News 23 June 2015
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