Harness racing is all Spring Hill’s Anthony Winnell has ever known, he’s watched his old man Kel train and drive pacers his entire life, so it’s far from surprising that’s what he’s ended up doing too.
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Naturally though, he never got into the game looking for any kind of recognition.
That’s what he’s got though after being nominated for one of Harness Racing NSW’s much-coveted prizes, the TAB Kevin Newman Award For Driving Excellence.
Winnell is one of five nominees put forward by the public for the prestigious award, named after one of the state’s greatest drivers, and was given the nod for his drive on Flinders Lane at Bathurst on October 25 of last year.
That drive, in the GC31 3YO Sustaining Payments Close 31 Oct Pace (1730 metres), was an incredible one too.
Winnell was sitting at the very back of the field just 50 metres out from the final turn before whipping his charge to the outside, sliding past five runners and then shooting straight back across to the rails as they hit the straight.
He and his 12-to-one chance pushed up past the other five would-be contenders before holding off late surges from the second-finishing Courage Within ($2.20) and third-placed Kiss The Aviator ($1.55).
Although the humble Winnell admits he “couldn’t tell you what race it was to be honest”.
“It’s very humbling to be nominated, you don’t set out to win awards and get accolades. You don’t want to open the paper up every week and see your photo in there,” he said.
“Dad’s been [training and driving] my whole life, it’s all I’ve known, me and my two sisters. We work together every day so I know what’s going on, but not as much as dad does.
“Harness racing is a very family-focused industry, there aren’t too many outsiders and if you grow up with them there aren’t too many things you don’t know.
“A lot of people in Spring Hill used to muck around with harness racing but it’s pretty much just dad left now.”
Things have certainly changed during Winnell’s time in the sport though, in particular the way the runners are prepared.
“It’s changed over the past few years with technology and breeding, they just get up and go, they’re born to run,” he explained.
“There used to be a lot more work before they were ready.”
Bathurst’s Mat Rue is also among the nominees for drive of the year thanks to his effort on Kash Us Back.
Rue cut a path through the pack, from the outside of the track to the pegs, to take victory in July’s NSW Breeders Challenge Regional Finals Pace (1730m).
The award is presented at the annual Harness Racing NSW Awards Night on October 27 at Sydney, and is voted on by the public.
Voting closes on Wednesday, October 3 at 5pm.
Punters can head to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TD9MRGD to vote.
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Max Stainkamph
Max joined the CWD in September 2017, leaving the big smoke of Melbourne to come to Orange, where he stayed until 2020.
Max joined the CWD in September 2017, leaving the big smoke of Melbourne to come to Orange, where he stayed until 2020.
Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
