Aussie stable snippets

THEY certainly breed them tough up in the New England region of northern New South Wales.

Harness Racing NSW chief executive John Dumesny has reported some good news involving two Tamworth drivers hospitalized after a horrific fall at Inverell late last month.

Mr Dumesny says Sarah Rushbrook and Elly Chapple are both in good spirits and recovering from serious injuries.

Sarah, who has been steadily building a name for herself as a trainer-driver and last season claimed a premiership, was expected to return home on the weekend. She suffered a broken leg in two places and other injuries.

Elley was released from hospital earlier, nursing a broken arm. She is reported to be finding it “boring” while being cooped up inside at home.

Both live nearby to Tamworth-Sarah at Kootingal and Elley from Moonbi.

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FORMER Junee young gun Cameron Hart, who is now an established reinsman in Sydney, recently posted his 300th driving win.

Hart landed the milestone victory when successful with Flying Scribe (Sportswriter-Jets Girl (Jeremes Jet) at Menangle. It was the second lifetime win in eight starts for the pacer, prepared by Harts boss Shane Sanderson.

Hart, who won at his very first two race drives in the Riverina, was always going to make harness racing his career. From the early age of 12, he was taught the ropes by an uncle in Trevor White, an industry icon in the region.

Eventually as a teenager, Hart convinced his parents to let him work at the White stables on a full-time basis.

And with that grounding, the youngster was always going to make an impact. Last season he fell agonisingly short of a century with 98 wins and 178 placings. This season his strike rate has been good with 64 wins and 121 placings.

Cameron Hart

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THE progressive Charlton Harness Racing Club in central Victoria always seems to have a happy knack of turning any situation into a positive.

Led by President Joey Thompson, a man who seems to gather more energy and enthusiasm as the years tick by, the club says that while their racing season has come to a screeching halt, “we won’t be thwarted with our monthly raffle”.

So the recent raffle draw was shown live on Facebook from Bushy Lodge, a picturesque training complex owned by Thompson.

“It’s just a bit of fun and our way of keeping in contact with all of our members during this strange period of adjustment caused by COVID-19,” he said.

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ONE of the most popular drivers in the far north-west corner of Victoria, Dwayne Locke, landed his first-ever treble last week-fittingly at his home track of Mildura.

Locke is always obliging to drive at trials for many trainers, and always has a handy list of drives at meetings, but with the COVID-19 restrictions is enjoying full books of engagements at his home-track.

With the introduction of zones at the start of the month the State is now divided into six regions, limiting travel for participants in line with recommendations to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Trainers in the Sunraysia area had a list of around of 20 drivers available and Locke stepped up to the plate in the best possible way.

At the first region-based meeting at Mildura, he saluted with Blast Away (for Boris Devcic) and Bella Cullen (Noel ‘Lucky’ Cameron).

“It was the third time I’d led on Bella Cullen-and she has won on each occasion,” Locke said.

At the next meeting he was victorious with Hard Rock Shannon, Augustus Jack and Without Hesitation. He followed up at Mildura on last night with a win on the Cassie O’Brien trained Graceful Art and three runner-up performances.

Dwayne Locke

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by Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura