02 January 2018 | Shane Yates
Tasmania’s reigning Junior Driver Of The Year Jack Laugher showed his class at Carrick on Sunday to round out 2017 with a winning treble.
Jack’s winners on the bumper ten-event card were The Majority, Gotta Go Henry and Stylish Trend, with all three leading all the way.
The Majority, trained by Matthew Dwyer, was the first of Jack’s winning drives for the day holding off the fast-finishing Bayridge Bill to (pictured) claim the Destreos Pace, the pair a dozen metres clear of The Dip which finished third.
The victory brought up the fifteenth career win for the Art Major – Oh Please eight-year-old gelding, scoring by a half neck and returning a mile-rate of 2:03.3.
Jack was back in the winner’s circle with the Troy Hillier-trained Gotta Go Henry in the Bracknell Hotel Pace.
The seven-year-old Gotta Go Cullect – Jill Forsa gelding was making its Tasmanian debut and took its career winning tally to thirteen with a courageous win after being backed from $2.70 into $2.50 on the Tasracing Official Prices.
“It was a strong effort by Gotta Go Henry, I think Troy is going to have some with him in the coming months, he started to bludge on me in the stretch but when he heard them coming he sparked up again and went to the line well,” said the talented eighteen-year-old reinsman.
Laugher completed his successful day at the office with the Ben Yole pacer Stylish Trend capturing its third win of the season, despite drifting in the market from $1.80 out to $2.60, with a runaway 15-metre victory in the Vandenberg Transport Stakes.
Laugher packs his bags for the experience of a lifetime this week as he ventures to Victoria to work in the stables of Gr1 winning trainer Andy Gath.
Gath, based at Long Forest near Melton, sits entrenched among the top echelon of trainers in the country, claiming the honour of Australian Trainer Of The Year, Victorian Trainer Of The Year and Victorian Metropolitan Trainer Of The Year – in three consecutive years from 2001-2003.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to gain experience in one of the leading stables in Australia, and to see first hand Andy’s horsemanship is something that I’m looking forward to immensely,” said an excited Laugher.
“I’m prepared to do the hard yards around the stables and pick up as much knowledge as I can, if I pick up the odd drive that will be a bonus.”
Watch Rockin An Runnin finish strongly for Chris and Matthew Howlett to take the Maxfield Drilling Meander Valley Cup.
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