By Brigette Solomon
The next-gen was to the fore at Cambridge last night, with 21-year-old junior drivers Emily Johnson and Zev Meredith both bringing up significant milestones.
Meredith trained his first winner when Boss Kenny led from start to finish in the IRT.Your Horse.Our Passion Trot while Johnson had her first driving win in this country with the Luk Chin-trained Jasinova in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Handicap Trot.
“I’m rapt with him and getting my first winner,” says Meredith, who also drove Boss Kenny.
It was just the Majestic Son seven-year-old’s second start for Meredith after he came north from Tony Barron’s Canterbury stables. It followed a fifth at Alexandra Park last week.
“I was happy with him going into the run tonight despite his last performance as he’s just not going as well right handed yet.”
It was Boss Kenny’s fourth win in 31 starts. He won by three quarters of a length from a fast finishing Taylad To Use.
Meredith juggles training with his full-time job working for Cambridge trainer Arna Donnelly.
“Boss Kenny is my only horse at the moment but I have an Always B Miki I’m leasing which will come into work shortly.”
For Johnson her first New Zealand win came from her 25th drive on this side of the Tasman. She’d earlier had 65 winning drives while being based in Western Australia for three years.
She returned home earlier this year, and works for Sean McCaffrey, who trains at Luk Chin’s Tamahere property in the Waikato.
“I’m pretty lucky with Sean and Luk regularly putting me on,” says Johnson, “and I’m really happy to get the win after a few drives.”
“It’s pretty cool having been round this track many times as a kid on the ponies at Kidz Kartz but tonight was the real deal.”
Jasinova started well, took the lead for a time before taking the trail behind Winners Time. The combo then zipped up the passing lane to win by nearly two lengths.
“It was a good drive from Emily,” says Chin, “she’s a good young driver and I’m happy with the horse. He galloped at Auckland but seems sorted now.”
“I’m always happy to put juniors on and get a penalty free win.”
Jasinova’s win gave Chin a training double for the night. He’d earlier driven Barsukov to victory in the Gavelhouse.com Trot.
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