Consistency rather than outright wins were the key to Rebecca Brown’s victory in the Yirribee Stud Great Western Reinswomen’s Challenge at Bathurst Paceway yesterday.
The talented Sydney driver didn’t win any of the three races but was still able to claim a narrow win ahead of Katie Hutchinson with Amanda Turnbull and Kerryann Turner finishing in a tie for third.
The winner of yesterday’s final, Angela Hedges wasn’t in the opening heats of the Yirribee Stud Great Western Reinswoman’s Challenge at Blayney last week and she
wasn’t in the running to take out the Championship.
She came into the race as a replacement driver after both Amy Day and Ashlee Siejka were forced to pull out of the event with other committments.
Hedges grabbed the opportunity with both hands, snatching a win with Blayney gelding Diamond John.
Kerryann Turner looked like she was going to secure a win with Harriswells but in the final metres Hedges was able to get her gelding’s nose back in front.
The six-year-old is owned by Ray Wallace and started third on the line of betting at $8.70 after finishing a close second in the second heat last week. Drama Prince won that race and started as $3 second favourite. Heat one winner Sheza Gold Digger was $2.80 favourite.
Hedges had the early lead before Emma Turnbull got Drama Prince to the front where he stayed for most of the final mile. On the run to the line it was a race between Harriswells and Diamond John and the Blayney horse still had enough to take the win.
Brown finished in sixth with Ablazing and it was enough to give the 18-year-old 27 points for the series, one better than Hutchinson.
“To be honest I wasn’t really confident, only because I’d drawn barrier 10 but I was hoping that if I could run top four I’d be able to win the series,” Brown said.
“[Ablazing] went good last
week but I think they didn’t go
as so as they did today. It ran to
suit last week but it did suit
this week, it drew barrier 10 and they went slow.”
She said she was very pleased with the concept and hopes that it will continue in 2011 and said she would happily come back top defend her title.
“I think it’s good, it’s good for the girls to get an opportunity to be seen and noticed. A lot of us don’t get those opportunities, like Cassie from Broken Hill, what opportunities does she have?” Brown said.
“So I think it’s a really good thing.
“If they have another series I will be here for sure, If I’m invited I’ll be here.”
Brown comes from a harness racing family and that was what started her interest, but now she works for famous race caller and pacing trainer John Tapp.
“After I left school John Tapp rang me and I went there to work. I’m now the floor person of the
stable and he’s has taken me a long way, he’s great,” she said.
“I race at Penrith mostly and Menangle and my next goal is to get my Harold Park license, that’s what I want, but I have to get 150 drives and I think I’m only up to 100 – so I’m getting there.”
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