Rising star Narissa McMullen will carry the hopes of Queensland when it hosts the Garrard’s 2017
Australasian Young Drivers Championship in Brisbane this summer.
The best young driver from each state, the north and south islands of New Zealand and a New
Zealand national representative will arrive in Brisbane on December 12, before heading to Redcliffe
on December 13 for the opening heats of the series.
The racing then moves to Albion Park on Friday, December 15. The final heats will be held on the
final night of the Queensland Summer Carnival at Albion Park on December 16, featuring the
$60,000 Queensland Cup and the $40,000 DJ Alexander Memorial Trot.
It will be the second time McMullen, 23, has represented her state in the AYDC after getting the nod
for the 2014 edition in Sydney.
“It is a great opportunity to represent your state and I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully I can get a
few winners during the week,” she said.
McMullen’s selection comes on the back of a stellar 2016/17 season, in which she drove 105 winners
at a strike-rate of 9.76%.
It was enough to earn her the Kevin and Kay Seymour Queensland Young Achiever Award and
Scholarship, and a Centurion Drivers Medal at the recent Queensland Harness Awards.
McMullen expects the racing to be ultra-competitive, but hopes the hometown advantage will give
her the winning edge to bring home the championship for Queensland.
“It will be a really great experience. It is pretty competitive on the track but it is also good to meet so
many people and make lifelong friends off the track,” McMullen said.
The winner of the series will receive a Rio Meteor Sulky thanks to major series sponsor, Garrard’s.
Racing Queensland Chief Executive Officer Dr Eliot Forbes said McMullen was a fine choice to
represent the Queensland industry.
“Narissa has been an advocate for harness racing in Queensland from a young age, and I am sure
she will do Queensland proud throughout the series,” he said.
Redcliffe Harness Racing Club president Bernie Ring said: “This event presents as a great
opportunity for the Redcliffe community to connect with our sport, and spectators will be lucky
enough to witness some of the best young drivers in the world compete.”
APHRC chairman David Fowler said the club looked forward to showcasing the sport in Queensland.
“The Albion Park Club is delighted to be co-hosting the 2017 Garrard’s Australasian Young Driver’s Championship with Racing Queensland and the Redcliffe Club, that will see the cream of harness racing’s national young talent campaigning in South East Queensland during mid-December 2017,” he said.
2017 Australasian Young Drivers Championships Representatives
Narissa McMullen (Queensland)
Todd McCarthy (New South Wales – defending champion)
Chris Geary (New South Wales)
Michael Grantham (Western Australia)
Matt Howlett (Tasmania)
Jayden Brewin (South Australia)
Jason Lee (Victoria)
Sheree Tomlinson (New Zealand)
Dylan Ferguson (New Zealand)
Kimberly Butt (New Zealand)
ENDS
