Crook cool in joyous drive

NOVICE reinsman Conor Crook delivered a masterful drive aboard former Queensland gelding Jakes A Joy to win a C1-C2 in Devonport last night.

It was Crook’s second drive aboard Jakes A Joy with his first in April this year resulting in a last of 12, but the talented young driver has gone ahead in leaps and bounds in the space of seven months.

Jakes A Joy drew the inside of the second row and ended up on the back of the leader and well-backed favourite Swap Me ($2.80 into $2.20).

When the leader slowed the tempo 1000 metres out, Crook was able to keep his charge in a steady rhythm without the horse pulling, while some of the more fancied back markers were struggling to make ground when the pace quickened 400 metres from home.

When the second favourite Tisu Bombelle ($3.20) dropped off, Crook eased Jakes A Joy off the marker pegs to stake his claim and eventually outgunned the leader to score a narrow win.

Crook recently won the Tasmanian Youngbloods Challenge series, which offers the state’s best novice drivers the chance to show off their skills, and that followed another junior driver series win earlier this year.

Premier trainer Ben Yole, who prepares Jakes A Joy, has rewarded the young driver for his efforts both on the training track and on race days.

While Crook showed patience and a cool head to win aboard Jakes A Joy, the driver of the runner-up, James Austin produced the drive of the night in Hobart last Friday night to salute aboard the Bianca Heenan-trained Hashtag Finally.

Austin settled Hashtag Fi- nally ($4.60) three-back in the one-out line and he was still there when the field entered the back straight the last time.

The four-year-old mare was travelling well but Austin was unable to get into the three-wide line when the leader sprinted, so he was left with the option of either easing back and swinging wide or seeking a run along the marker pegs.

It was clear watching the race unfold that Austin had only one run in mind and that was to stay on the marker pegs and use the sprint lane in the home straight.

The leader Nikks Pick ($6) looked to be feeling the pinch at the top of the home straight while the favourite Betterthanfetta ($2.80) was staking his claim and Safari Sunshine was starting to motor home out four wide.

But when the sprint lane opened up, Austin drove his charge into the space and she powered home to win convincingly from Nikks Pick and Betterthanfetta.