Sharp as! Teen reinsman nails first win in Victoria

Eighteen-year-old reinsman Joey Sharp is thoroughly enjoying life in Victoria – and he wasted no time finding his way into the winner’s circle.

“I couldn’t believe it when it happened. But once it sunk in it was a big thrill. It was actually a pretty surreal feeling,” Sharp said.

“I’d only shifted down not all that long before my boss Brent (Lilley) gave me the drive, so I was pretty lucky,” he said.

Sharp handled five-year-old mare Manda Kyvalley (Father Patrick) with polish to take out the Noel Evans Memorial Trot, a feature event at the recent Echuca meeting.

“I reckon I’ve only ever previously driven one other trotter in a race, but I’ve sat behind a a fair few at home on the training track,” he said.

“They are a bit different to handle, but I don’t mind them at all.”

From a wide barrier five draw, Sharp eased Manda Kyvalley off the mobile barrier arm to settle at the tail of the leading division.

He quickly assessed the tempo of the race and, with two laps to travel, gradually worked forward to the death seat outside Alabama May (Stuart Rothacker).

When the leader was pulled out of contention after choking down, Night Sky (Donna Castles), which had enjoyed the perfect trail, slipped through to take up the running- leaving Manda Kyvalley still parked.

Sharp remained patient before asking his mare for an effort, and she responded strongly t

o score by nearly four metres from Midnight Muscle (Jack Laugher), with Night Sky a close-up third.

“I’d driven Manda Kyvalley at home once, and found her pretty much straight forward, although she can get a bit cranky,” he said.

Sharp has taken a journeyman approach to his career, keen to learn as much as possible about the industry.

“I spent four years with Jarrod Alchin and then another two with Glenn McElhinney up in New South Wales. I also had eight months with Graham Dwyer in Queensland,” he said.

“I’ve enjoyed the experience of finding out how those top guys do things. They all have their own ideas and I’m learning so much along the way.

“I met Brent when he was up in Sydney a while ago. We got talking and here I am down in Victoria working for him.

“I’m loving it. Brent’s so good with advice and explains everything. I’ll be here for as long as he wants me.

“Everyone at the tracks where I’ve driven – Echuca, Maryborough, Kilmore and Bendigo – have been so supportive. I would have had probably 30 people congratulate me when I got my winner at Echuca. That was just awesome because most of them I didn’t even know!”

Sharp, who claims a five-point concession, has three drives booked at tomorrow night’s Ballarat meeting (April 23).

He will partner Kyvalley Jagger (Brent Lilley) in the opening event, the Ballarat Ground Works Trot; Gozo Major (Paul Grech) in race five, the National Tiles Concession Drivers Pace; and Shazza Love (Alison Alford) in race seven, the X-Golf Ballarat Concession Drivers Pace.

See the full Ballarat fields here:

Outside of harness racing, Sharp is a keen follower of both rugby and AFL.

“I played rugby when I was younger and follow the Melbourne Storm. I’ve been to one game since shifting down here. I also support Geelong in the AFL so to get and watch them is next on my list,” he said.

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink