Gavin Lang and Robin Hood combine to win last year's SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup
Gavin Lang capped the best season of his decorated career when he scored a historic win in the 2008 Harness Racing Weekly Vin Knight Medal, announced on Wednesday night at a lavish function in Crown’s Palladium Ballroom.
The champion Melton reinsman became the first person in the 11-year history of the award that honours excellence in horsemanship at metropolitan meetings to win it three times when he beat Daryl Douglas by one vote.
Despite producing a season that yielded more than 200 winners and 11 Group 1 successes, the 49-year-old was surprised to learn he’d won the award that he also claimed in 2003 and 2004, but was ecstatic to have done so.
“I left school early, so my maths might not be the best, but I actually thought I finished equal with Daryl,” he said. “I think that would have been a fitting result, but I’m very, very pleased to have won it again.”
When voting went in camera at the end of May, Douglas enjoyed a seven-vote lead over Lang, which the star reinsman whittled away at during June and July.
He hit the front with a two-vote haul at the penultimate metropolitan meeting of the season and with neither driver polling at the August 29 meeting it left Lang victorious 38 votes to Douglas’s 37.
It was the second year in a row Douglas has been pipped at the post, missing out by two votes last year when Lance Justice polled three votes at the final meeting of the season.
A maximum of 10 votes are awarded at each meeting by a panel of judges.
Justice had to settle for third placing this year. He finished level with Jodi Quinlan on 22 votes, but claimed third spot on a countback. Next was Kerryn Manning on 21 votes with Chris Alford one vote further back.
The Vin Knight Medal was one of two awards Lang won for the night. He was also awarded the Tabcorp Driving Performance of the Year for his SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup corker on Robin Hood.
Another feature of the ceremony was the announcement of the latest addition to the Harness Racing Weekly Hall of Fame. This year’s inductee was reigning Gordon Rothacker Medallist, Peter Manning.
Several other training and driving awards were also presented in front of the 550-strong sell-out crowd.
Shepparton’s Nathan Jack became the first youngster to win the Terry Henderson Young Achiever of the Year award more than once when he took home the $2000 cheque for the second year running, while Matt Cormick took out the Youth Encouragement award.
Rockbank-based Allan McDonough took home the Garry Rogers Nissan Most Improved Trainer award, Bendigo’s Nic Dyer won the Most Improved Driver award and Bill Carroll, from Manangatang, was a popular winner of the HROA Training Achievement award.
