Amazing Grace savours special moment

Hunter harness racing reinswoman Grace Panella heads to Newcastle Paceway on Monday (Sep. 26) eyeing a first-up win Man From Braavos after scoring her maiden metropolitan Menangle driving victory on Saturday night.

Panella edged the Darren Binskin-trained Tuppence (Lincoln Royal) into a gap late from a run three back on the pegs to score a 3.6m win. It was Panella’s first on a Saturday Sydney program and a special one for the 20-year-old, especially given her link with Binskin.

“When I was only nine or 10, Darren was the one who pushed me and my sister [Lauren Tritton] to do the mini-trots and since then he’s pushed me to be a driver,” Panella said. “If it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t be driving and he’s been a really big help in my career.”

Panella expected the Melanie Elder-trained Man From Braavos in the last race to win in her first time driving him.

She also drives Just Feelngood, Lady Pebbles and Beatboxer on the eight-race program.

“I think they are all pretty good chances, they’ve drawn some nice barriers,” she said.

TUPPENCE REPLAY

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by of Craig Kerry, republished from the Newcastle Herald