NZ HARNESS NEWS
Greg and Nina Hope’s son Ben starts his race-driving career at Addington on Friday night and it could easily be a winning debut.
Hope could win with either English Rose in the junior drivers’ event or later with the appropriately-named Benhope Rulz, a Courage Under Fire three-year-old from his parent’s leading Woodend Beach stable, who is also on debut in a maiden.
Hope, 18, has obviously grown up with stable life and has been a regular fixture, helping out his parents at the races for many years.
He began driving at the workouts when he was 15 and he’s had about 60 drives since gaining his trials licence a year ago, before leaving school in September.
“I would have liked to have left school as soon as I was allowed, but mum wanted me to stay a bit longer,” Hope said yesterday.
“I got level one and two, but I wouldn’t say I was exactly excelling at school,” he added.
Hope has always looked a natural in the sulky as one might expect, with all of his experience and mentoring around home.
“I enjoy the driving so we’ll see how that goes and go from there. It’s not an easy game to break into and be successful.
“We haven’t talked about things much, but there will be options to go into training later I guess.”
English Rose has a rather bleak formline since winning at Washdyke in mid May, but she is a mare with ability.
“The first day at Nelson she tied up badly and then on the second day she ran out of her gear for no good reason.
“Then she did the same thing at the Marlborough meeting [at Addington] and Matty [driver Williamson] said she was running in badly, so we’re putting a rein pricker on this week.
“She’s been perfect in winning two trials lately and if she took that form to the races she’s a definite winning chance, but she still has to be taken on trust.”
Benhope Rulz, named after Hope by long time stable patron Richard Dellaca, is not without a chance either, although he will need some luck in the running after drawing the inside of the second row in a 1950m mobile.
“He’s quite a nice horse actually and will definitely win races, but he’s only had a few trials and he might need some racing to show his best.
“But he could be a chance with the right run.”
That is a distinct possibility with Benhope Rulz following out the in form Spondulicks and if John Dunn has designs on leading up, another distinct possibility, then Benhope Rulz could be sitting pretty in the trail.
That could lead to a fairytale start to Hope’s driving career.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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