by Terry Neil
MONKEYBUSINESS belied its name with a very tradesmanlike win in the opener at last Friday ‘s Group One Feeds Paceway meeting, despite his $25.60 bolter’s odds.
Ashlee Grives gave the Peter Trevor-Jones trained three-year-old the run of the race behind the leader and favourite Whosashadylady, and came away down the running for a nice win from the late-closing Bettor Ranger and death-seater Espyrante.
Racecaller Fred Hastings didn’t see a better drive all night, and awarded Ashlee the Gold Crown Restaurant Drive of the Night.
That long price was a little surprising, considering the son of Courage Under Fire was having just his third race start and had placed at his previous run despite being checked and losing plenty of ground.
Bathurst locals who follow the local Rugby League scene also failed to pick up on a family connection with his driver that might have led them to the winner.
This first race on Group 10 Rugby League night was named for the Bathurst Panthers club, and it had been well-reported locally that one of their signings for the new season was returning local lad Jack Siejka, who just happens to be Ashlee Grives’ (formerly Siejka) cousin.
It all seemed so obvious after the race!
Ashlee completed a driving double in the fifth, the fast-class named in honour of last season’s Group premiers the Mudgee Dragons, leading throughout with Isle Of Man, quickening over the last half in 56.6 to hold off trailer Art Mistress and Tulhurst Ace which held on doggedly in the death.
The Grin. gelding, which races unhoppled, had also been unlucky at his previous run, copping a flat tyre but still running well in strong company at Menangle.
Amanda Turnbull, successful in five of the six races run at Dubbo two nights earlier, backed up with a treble here, giving the ladies five of the first six races.
Her winners were Dot Ayou ($5.70, for Daryl Davis) in the St Pats Ladyship – ” she hasn’t driven it before, but that doesn’t matter, it’s Amanda!” – and her own runners Jo An Leonie ($1.30 favourite) in the Orange CYMS C0 sprint and Moon Ovr Manhattan ($1.20 favourite) in the C0 grade Blayney Bears event.
John O’Shea scored a driving double, with the Lester Hewitt-trained Our Braxton NZ ($2.70 favourite) in the Orange Hawks C2-C3 sprint, the fastest run of the night at 1:56.9 , and with Timmy May ($2.60 favourite, for Josh Turnbull) in the final event, the Cowra Magpies/ Lithgow Workies conditioned event.
Bernie Hewitt, who scored the night’s easiest win – by 13 metres – in the Oberon Tigers 3YO sprint with the sentimental, and actual, $3.00 favourite Our Little Digger, became just the fourth individual driver to have success in the eight races.
A number of the club officials who spoke at the race presentations commented on the strong connection that exists between the sports of harness racing and league.
In Bathurst, that ‘s seen through the Siejkas, Hewitts ( Doug Hewitt is another signing for the Panthers this season), Jake Davis, Jake Betts and Wade Judd, and of course Danny Dwyer, the Bathurst HRC C.E.O. who manages the affairs of the Bathurst Panthers RLFC as well.
Another example that ‘s been noted previously is in the Goulburn/ Canberra area, where the Canberra Raiders players and coach have become involved in ownership through Jarrod Croker’s connections with the Picker and Hewitt families.
And as the harness racing scene in Bathurst settles down after the excitement and busy-ness of another successful Gold Crown Carnival, the Rugby League clubs in the region are gearing up for the Group 10 premiership and what they hope will be bragging rights for another year. Good luck to all of them.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
