Hall of fame after title win
WEST Australian reinsmen Gary Hall Jr and Ryan Warwick dominated the Australian Drivers’ Championship series in Hobart on Saturday night.
But it was Hall who won the series to be crowned Australia’s best driver. Hall won two of the seven heats to earn maximum points as well as a minor placing to take his overall score to 77 and finish 14 points clear of Tasmania’s Mark Yole, who won a heat and had two minor placings.
Victoria’s Darby McGuigan was third on 60 points, with Warwick fourth on 58.
It was a brilliant series with harness racing the winner as the best from each state ensured each heat was run at metropolitan-class speed.
The series comprised two representatives from each of the six states, with the winner determined on points accrued from the finishing position of the horses in each heat.
Warwick won the first heat aboard Wandary Muscat to earn top points while Queenslander Pete McMullen was second aboard Major Seascape. McMullen was all set to win the third heat aboard the favourite Away and rideyourself when the sulky seat collapsed and sent the driver hurtling to the track.
McMullen was not injured in the fall and was able to fulfil the remainder of his drives, but it denied him a win and a crack at the title. McGuigan won the second heat with a fine drive aboard Cool Water Paddy for trainer Juanita McKenzie.
Yole partnered Streitkid to victory in the third heat but admitted it was a lucky win given what happened to McMullen and the favourite Away and ride yourself. Hall earned his driver fee to win aboard Iden Forest in heat four and he sealed the series title by winning the next heat with a top drive aboard Koolaz Elvis.
The Conor Crook-trained gelding began fairly from a wide front-row draw but Hall persevered to find the lead.
Koolaz Elvis sprinted clear of his rivals turning for home and went on to score easily.
NSW’s Todd McCarthy partnered the favourite Gypsy Treasure to win the sixth heat. Yole kept himself in contention to win the title by finishing second aboard El Jays Blu.
With one heat remaining, Hall just needed to ensure his drive, Guys Bettor Bet, finished ahead of the three other drivers that were still in title contention. He managed to accomplish that and was declared the winner of the 2019 ADC. Final points: 77: Gary Hall Jr (WA); 63: Mark Yole ( Tas); 60: Darby McGuigan (Vic); 58: Ryan Warwick (WA); 53: Todd McCarthy (NSW); 51: Danielle Hill (SA), Kerry-Ann Morris (NSW); 49: Ken Rogers (SA); 47: Pete McMullen ( Qld), Kerryn Manning (Vic); 42: Narissa McMullen (Qld); 28: Ricky Duggan (Tas).