By Matt Markham
It’s been a slow start to proceedings for last season’s equal-leading driver, but Stevie Golding is hoping that luck is starting to turn back in his favour.
After dead-heating the junior drivers’ premiership with Robbie Close last season, Golding had big expectations on his shoulders for his final season in the junior ranks, but the rub of the green hasn’t really gone his way and he’s sitting with 8 wins from 150 odd drives.
That’s still a reasonably good strike-rate for a junior reinsman, but Golding knows it could be better and he’s hoping a victory yesterday with the very talented Gershwin might be the turning point.
With his employers, Greg and Nina Hope enjoying what was a grand Saturday night at Melton with a Group One victory to Monbet and a Victoria Cup placing to Mossdale Conner, Golding was charged with taking one of the stables more exciting up and comers to Geraldine for the Orari Challenge Stakes for three-year-old trotters.
And he didn’t let the side down either with a patient and kind drive on the sometimes tricky Gershwin who was simply in a league of his own while other around him left their manners behind.
“He can be a bit funny, so it was a case of taking things easy early on,’’ Golding said.
“There’s a lot for him left to learn yet, but he’s got raw talent that will take him a long way, he was switching off the whole way up the straight so I had to keep him up to the task.
“He won very well though, there was still plenty in reserve.’’
Gershwin won by four and a half lengths from Motu Great Sensation with Dark Ops, the only other horse to the trot the entire trip, a promoted third after both Astral Ruler and Sunny Afternoon galloped in excess of 200 metres at the start of the race.
They both staged big recoveries to finish third and fourth, but having broken for so long at the start of the race meant they were disqualified in the Stipendary Stewards room following the race.
With the Hopes, and regular driver Ricky May, back in Australia next week for the Trotting Grand Prix and the Hunter Cup, Golding was hopeful yesterday that he would retain the drive on Gershwin in the Hambletonian Classic next week at Ashburton.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to drive him again, it’s nice to be given the opportunity to drive a horse like him and I’m just really happy I was able to make the most of it today.’’
Golding’s partner, Sam Ottley achieved a first in her career in the race prior to Gershwin’s victory when she drove her first winner at Orari for her Mum, Denise when Clarendon’s Last was victorious.
A part owner in the son of Changeover as well, Ottley took the big gelding to the lead and he was too strong – winning with plenty in store.
Jessica Young had another good day on the grass track surface, picking up a winning double to move into second equal on the Junior Drivers’ premiership with Craig Ferguson.
She and Dean Taylor combined to win with Scotlyn Justis and Smokin Chick which followed a win by Franco Texas on Friday night at Addington.
The victories were both welcomed by Young who is now suspended until February 8 after she yesterday pleaded guilty to driving carelessly at Oamaru on January 21.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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