Douglas happy with season so far

Nearing the halfway point of the season, junior driver Hayden Douglas is sitting on sixteen wins. Last season he drove twenty eight winners and he’s hopeful of setting a new PB.

“Picking up as many drives and building as many connections as I can is my main focus at the moment. It’s about building that support system for a few years down the track where you can target some real goals,” Douglas said.

He also sits in a good position to be able to represent South of the Waitaki in the New Zealand Junior Driving Championships which will be held over two meetings in August – at Alexandra Park and Ashburton.

“I had my first crack at it last year. It was great to get a run under my belt and see what it’s all about. Hopefully we can go a bit better this year and have a real crack at it. I haven’t driven at Alexandra Park so it’ll be a real cool experience to buzz round there.”

After this season is completed Douglas will have three more years as a junior.

“It’ll be exciting once Carter (Dalgety) and Wilson (House) move on and hopefully it’ll open up a few more opportunities for me and the next group of us coming through.”

Of his fifty nine career wins, twenty six have been for his father Jeremy who trains out of Ascot Park.

“Luckily he’s still giving me plenty of support down there in the south, so that’s really helping.”

Hayden recently struck up a relationship with Doyleston trainer Kevin Fairbairn and owner Wendy Nordqvist, having driven Commander Ben and Commander Joe to win for the combination.

“I can’t really thank Wendy and Kevin enough. They’re giving me a pretty good go up there and it’s really paying off. Being out there regularly, picking up a winner here and there, gets you into other people’s minds and hopefully I’ll start to pick up a few extra drives.”

Douglas has been working for Oamaru trainer Matty Williamson for eighteen months.

“Other than the cold wet days, it’s going pretty well. There’s a heap of travel, but there are a few of us based there so we share it around a bit. The travel is something I’d always done when I was involved in sport, so it’s just a part of life. You get used to it.”

The Williamson stable has more than thirty horses in work.

“We’re very busy. We’ve got a line of horses ready to replace every one that goes out. We qualified twelve to fourteen two year olds last year, so some of those younger ones are starting to step out. The quality of horse is also starting to improve a little bit.”

The barn had three young trotters qualify last week at Oamaru: three year old filly Wendy Moon by One Over Da Moon out of The Enforcer, Scream N Shout a Royal Aspirations – My Shout two year old filly and Finale, a Love You – Shell Seeker two year old colt.

“The two two year olds are pretty nice but are a bit on the bigger side, so they’ll go to the paddock for a while and you might see them later in the year, or maybe as three year olds. The three year old is probably not too far away from stepping out. It’s got nice manners and a bit of speed.”

Douglas says since working for Williamson his driving has come on in leaps and bounds.

“Having Matt in my corner has been a big help. It’s the direct advice he gives, being in the car with him and just hearing the way he thinks about horses and in general. You just pick up little pieces here and there. That’s been a very big step forward in my driving career.”

A two year old Art Major – Take My Hand colt named Dancing Along is one that Douglas  likes. He’s a half to The Dancer.

Take My Hand is a half sister to Dance N Delight the dam of Shut Up N Dance, Get Up N Dance and recent Addington winner Cheers Up N Dance.

“He’s not too far away from his first public appearance and he runs along quite nicely.”  

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink