The 2022 Haras des Trotteurs Australasian Young Drivers Championships provide a highlight of Inter Dominion grand final week in Victoria.
Nine youngsters from Australia and New Zealand will do battle in nine races at four tracks over five days – starting at Melton on Tuesday night.
Here’s a close-up look at each of the drivers who also be in action at Ballarat on Wednesday night, Maryborough on Thursday, Bendigo on Friday night and Melton again on Saturday night.
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Tayla French
Victoria
Career wins: 201
This season wins: 72
Biggest win: 2021 G1 Vicbred Super Series 3yo Trotting final
Role models: Kima Frenning and Kerryn Manning
Favourite horse: Parisian Artiste
Race you aspire to win: Inter Dominion
Favourite ID moment: Don’t have one yet, but enjoying being apart of it this year.
Sarah O’Reilly
New Zealand
Career wins: 188
This season wins: 64
Biggest win: 2019 Australasian Young Drivers Championship
Role model: Sam Ottley
Favourite horse: Sugar Me
Race you aspire to win: NZ Cup
Favourite ID moment: When I was younger, watching a horse my Dad trained and grandparents owned run in the Inter Dominion final in Auckland.
Sam Thornley
New Zealand
Career wins: 47
This season wins: 30
Biggest win: Geraldine Cup with Corravally Star
Role model: Blair Orange
Favourite horse: Royal Del
Race you aspire to win: NZ Cup
Favourite ID moment: Being a part of ID grand final night this year.
Jordan Chibnall
Tasmania
Career wins: 76
This season wins: 36
Biggest win: Heat of the Rising Stars on Just Ralph
Role model: Chris Alford
Favourite horse: Just Ralph or Lifeinthebalance
Race you aspire to win: Kilmore Pacing Cup
Favourite ID moment: Being there to watch Tiger Tara win it in 2018.
Brendan Barnes
Queensland
Career wins: 736
This season wins: 140
Biggest win: G1 Golden Girl on Jeradas Delight
Role model: Luke McCarthy
Favourite horse: Pacific Drums
Race you aspire to win: Miracle Mile
Favourite ID moment: Blacks A Fake’s fourth ID grand final victory.
Crystal Hackett
New Zealand
Career wins: 23
This season wins: 14
Biggest win: Cambridge Gold Cup with Son Of Patrick
Role model: Tony Herlihy and Chris Alford
Favourite horse: Invictus and Son Of Patrick
Race you aspire to win: NZ Dominion or Rowe Cup
Favourite ID moment: Temporale winning two heats in Auckland; Massive Metro running third in Auckland grand final, trained by my parents.
Samantha Pascoe
South Australia
Career wins: 165
This season wins: 56
Biggest win: 2022 G3 Southern Cross Series final for 2yo fillies on Laylas Princess
Role model: My parents. I got my work ethic from them along with my love of horses and harness racing
Favourite horse: Joonior Brown
Race you aspire to win: The ID one day, but more realistically the SA Pacing Cup.
Favourite ID moment: The only time I have attended an ID final was the last time it was in SA in 2007. The atmosphere was incredible.
Cam Hart
New South Wales
Career wins: 768
This season wins: 197
Biggest win: 2022 G1 Blacks A Fake with Majestic Cruiser
Role model: Trevor White
Favourite horse: Majestic Cruiser
Race you aspire to win: Miracle Mile
Favourite ID moment: Jason Grimson winning the 2021 grand final with Boncel Benjamin.
Emily Suvaljko
Western Australia
Career wins: 479
This season wins: 119
Biggest win: 2022 G1 Western Mares Classic with Savvy Bromac
Role model: Gary Hall Jnr
Favourite horse: Savvy Bromac
Race you aspire to win: WA Pacing Cup
Favourite ID moment: Lennytheshark being stabled at David Thompson’s for the Perth ID series.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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