23 September 2024 | Graham Fischer
On Friday morning, Kaela Hryhorec was busy driving heavy machinery in the Adelaide beachside suburb of Semaphore.
She took an early minute at lunchtime and headed to the Gawler harness meeting to partner Better Be Lively to victory in the Cluse Bros Tyrepower Pace (1609m).
Hryhorec waited around and made it a double with a flashing win on Summerdays for Penfield trainer Ingrid Smith for a big afternoon.
A $19.50 chance, Better Be Lively, trained at Bagot Well by Peta Brown, finished powerfully to score a two-metre win from Sheza Manipulator ($2.20 fav) with Star Man ($3.80), 1-1/2 metres away third.
Coming from gate one on the second row, Hryhorec had the 10-year-old away well to sit on Star Man which had led from gate one.
With a good tempo, she was able angle one off coming off the back then sent Better Be Lively to victory.
It was a perfect drive by Hryhorec, 24, who admitted she had been going to take a break this season.
“I have worked with horses since I was 16, and about six months ago felt I need to do something else,” Hryhorec said.
“I was working for my uncle (Ryan Hryhorec) and decided to get away from the horses.
“I managed to pick up a job with an earth moving firm and found myself driving heavy machinery, and I love it.
“I had no intention of renewing my licence, but HRSA contacted me about driving in concession races, then when Terry (Brown) rang to say he wanted me to drive Trottenem Okay I decided to drive again.
“Better Be Lively is Nick’s (Brown) horse but when he was unavailable, Peta and Terry asked me to drive.
“But I have no plans to leave my job as I really enjoy it but may take a few drives if I am asked and it doesn’t conflict with work.”
The pacer has been a bargain buy for the Browns.
Purchased from Western Australia, he has now won 11 races since arriving in SA.
Better Be Lively’s trainer Peta Brown is having a good season, and his win today gave her an 11th win for the year.
Hryhorec then partnered Summerdays in the Ladbrokes SA Concession Drivers Pace (1609m) coming from barrier 10, gate four on the second row.
She settled last on the mare before winding her up from the 600 metres.
Summerdays came with a flashing run over the final 100 metres to grab a head win from Jilliby Mistress ($14) with Flyin Tommy ($3.40), 3-1/2 metres away third.
Apart from a double for the reluctant reinswoman, it was also two winners for trainer Ingrid Smith who had taken out the opening race, the Two Wells Bakery Trotters Handicap (2070m) with Janes Gem.
Driven by Smith’s husband David, Janes Gem had also won at Gawler on the previous Monday.
Coming off a 20-metre handicap, the mare, the $2.50 favourite looked likely to win easily when taken to the front halfway up the straight, but the front runner Countess Crusoe ($5) fought back to be only beaten a half head.
Top reinswomen Samantha Pascoe and Bernadette Page have been announced as South Australia’s representatives in the 2024 Australian Female Driver Championships at Launceston in Tasmania on Saturday, October 20.
They will compete in a six-race series to determine the winner, but both celebrated the announcement at Gawler on Friday.
Pascoe partnered in-form Madame Kelly to victory in the Podiatry Care Gawler Trotters Mobile (2070m) for trainer Robbie Caton.
Despite sitting parked early, Madame Kelly ($1.30 fav) drew away to win by 7-1/2 metres from So Vogue ($45.90) with Buckles ($22.90), a similar margin away third.
Pascoe said “it was like driving a car” while Caton said he would now look for a suitable race in Victoria to try for the mare’s Vicbred bonus.
Page came away with a double.
She partnered another in-form squaregaiter My Bad Habits to win the SA BOTRA Trot (2070m) for trainer Matt Maguire.
My Bad Habits ($2.30) also sit parked before winning by 5-1/2 metres from Xebec ($2.10 fav) which trailed him throughout with Illawong Moonbeam ($9.50) a neck away third.
Page brought up her double on the talented ex-New Zealander Lady La Salle, trained by Aaron Bain in the Lowe Farms Farmgate Fodder Pace (1609m).
Tonkawaikon, which had landed some good bets in winning at Gawler on September 12, was heavily backed again from $2.40 into $1.60 favourite and coming from gate four, driver Michael Smith quickly had him in front.
Lady La Salle, a drifter from $3 to $6, started from gate five but Page was able to angle her into the one-out, one-back spot.
The mare was sent forward with 400 metres to travel and proved too strong for Tonkawaikon winning by 2-1/2 metres with Diamond Mounted ($3.60), a distant third, 14 metres away.
Lady La Salle brought up a winning double for trainer Aaron Bain who had won earlier in the day with the impressive My Vinnie which has won all three starts.
My Vinnie ($2.60) found the front for driver Wayne Hill, and he was able to hold off Bay Jim Major ($1.40 fav) to win by two metres with Buzz Bomb ($21.50) a good third, 6-1/2 metres away.
There will be another metropolitan meeting at Gawler this Friday afternoon.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
