Laugher clinches driver challenge

When young Tasmanian reinsman Jack Laugher moved over to Victoria, it was with the intention of doing a 12-month stint to gain experience and hone his craft in the hustle-bustle world of harness racing on the mainland.

Forward a little over three years and Laugher’s still here on this side of the ‘Bass’ and on Monday afternoon became the youngest winner of Horsham Harness Racing Club’s, time-honoured Noel Smith Memorial Invitation Drivers Championship.

Such has been Laugher’s progress that his last season’s tally of 195 wins, including 33 metropolitan victories, saw him ranked in the top three drivers on both Victorian premiership tables.

Now based in Bendigo, Laugher drove in all five heats of the Noel Smith invitational on Monday and accumulated 39 points with a third, second, eighth, first and a third to take the title in a blanket finish.

Next in line were the three Team Teal ambassadors, Kerryn Manning on 37, Kate Gath, 34 and Jodi Quinlan, 32. Then came Zac Phillips, 30, Anthony Butt, 28, Leigh Sutton, 27, Chris Alford, 24, James Herbertson, 19 and last year’s winner, Jason Lee on 19.

What a day it was for the locals and

the Team Teal ovarian cancer campaign at the Horsham Racing Centre on Monday afternoon.

Manning started the ball rolling in the first heat of the Horsham invitation when she urged three-year-old gelding Ranger Rick along the sprint lane to score for Horsham owners Terry and Jen Lewis and trainer Matty Craven.

The well-bred, lightly raced pacer was making his first appearance in Australia after changing hands as a three-start maiden in New Zealand and looks to have a bright future.

Quinlan kept the teal pants to the fore with back-to-back wins in the

second and third invitation heats – saluting with Telemachus for trainer Nathan Cahir and Wendy’s Watching for the Clinton Mcswain stable.

Horsham owners Justin, Jo, Morgan and Reilly Lane celebrated after their home-bred four-year-old mare Muckinbar Diva with Jack Laugher aboard, took out heat four of the championship.

It was Team Teal again to close the invitational when Manning led from go to whoa for a nine-metre victory with Don’t Need An Excuse for astute Naracoorte trainer Greg Scholfield.

Pictures: PAUL CARRACHER TEAM TEAL: Horsham Racing Centre helped raise awareness and money for ovarian cancer research on Monday, bringing a Team Teal campaign to the track. The afternoon included a Team Teal Ladies High Tea at West Side Horsham. Pictured enjoying the event are, top, from left, Bev Reynolds, Morgan Lane and Marj Whitehead, and above, Deb Krueger, left, and Angela Ballinger.

TOP POINTS: Decron Horse Care principal Merv Butterworth presents Horsham’s Noel Smith Memorial shield to Jack Laugher, winner of the 2022 Horsham Invitation Drivers Championship.