Photo: Chanelle Lawson
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk
It was a special moment for local reinswoman Alicia Harrison as she saluted the judge following the Revell Douglas Memorial Junior Driver Series Mobile Pace (2200m) at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday night.
Harrison reined home The Sportsman to win the race named in honour of Douglas, who passed away last year.
Harrison had driven for the well-liked South Auckland horseman on several occasions and she said it was an honour to win a race named in his memory.
“He was the kind of guy that everyone got on with, he was so likeable,” Harrison said.
“I had a couple of drives for him when I was starting out. It was awesome to win a race in his memory.”
Off the gate Tennessee Honey made a flying start from the ace barrier to take the lead and Harrison was able to guide The Sportsman into the trail after Supersede paced roughly off the mobile arm.
From there Harrison was able to give The Sportsman and economical trip, which he was able to capitalize on in the home straight, running away to a length victory over Lorde Verde, with a further three quarters of a length back to Supersede in third.
“It worked out really well,” Harrison said.
“We came off the gate and fortunately for me another one went rough and we were able to clear them and slot straight into the trail. From there it was pretty much game over for everyone else.”
Harrison was confident of a positive outcome fresh-up.
“He went a couple of nice races last time in before he had a freshen-up and had some nice trials (leading into tonight),” Harrison said.
“I didn’t think he was going to win for sure but we got the right trip.”
Later on the card Jackka Cooper won the Betavet Cambridge Pacers Gold Cup Heat 2 Mobile Pace (2200m) for trainers Graeme Rogerson and Dylan Ferguson, while Son Of Patrick took out the Ike Unsworth Bayleys Cambridge Gold Cup Heat 2 Handicap Trot (2700m).
