Ashleigh Stewart, aboard Smoken Up.
Young Kilmore Driver Ashleigh Stewart has taken out the Harness Racing Training Centre Bendigo Central Victorian Concession Drivers Series, but by the narrowest margin possible, with a countback required to determine the ultimate winner.
Conducted over a Series of four races in conjunction with the Central Victorian Championships, the Series was set for a grandstand finish, with four drivers capable of taking out the Series going into the final race at Charlton. Equal leaders were Emma Hamblin, Donna Castles and Zac Steenhuis on 23 points, with Ashleigh Stewart close behind on 22 points and Ashley Ainsworth within striking distance on 15 points. With Donna Castles not having a drive in the final race, it effectively came down to whoever of Hamblin, Stewart and Steenhuis finished, best provided that Ainsworth did not win the race.
As expected, the final race was a hotly contested affair, with Ashleigh Ainsworth finishing just one place short of a win with a second place. This left it down to the other three, with Ashleigh Stewart driving Attentiontodetail into fourth place. Zac Steenhuis was only one place behind with a fifth place, and Emma Hamblin in sixth.
Final standings had Ashleigh Stewart and Zac Steenhuis locked together on 30 points, however, due to the fact that Ashleigh had driven the winner of the first race and had had one less drive than Zac, she was awarded the Series win. Emma Hamblin was only one point back on 29 points, with Ashleigh Ainsworth close behind on 27.
In presenting the trophy to Ashleigh, Bendigo Harness Racing Training Centre Manager, Mr. John Randles, said how thrilled he was with how the Series had gone and how it had given our young drivers the opportunity to obtain race drives and develop their skills. “The races were all excellent spectacles and showed the talent that we have coming through our driving ranks,” he said.
Mr. Randles also indicated his hope that the Harness Racing Training Centre could again be associated with the Series again next year.
In all, $1,600 in trophies were given away to the winning trainers and drivers across the four-race Series, as well as a trophy to the ultimate winner.
An additional feature was that one young driver was offered the opportunity to drive Smoken Up to lead out the Bendigp Pacing Cup field on January 17th, thanks to Smoken Up’s trainer Lance Justice. As it was, this chance fell to the Series ultimate winner in Ashleigh Stewart, who said it was undoubtedly a chance of a lifetime that many would have greatly wanted. “It was the biggest thrill of my driving career by far,” she said.
FINAL SERIES STANDINGS
30 POINTS Ashleigh Stewart,, Zac Steenhuis
29 Emma Hamblin
27 Ashley Ainsworth
15 Donna Castles, Denbeigh Wade
12 Michael Latter, Michael Sullivan
11 Glen Richardson,
10 Cameron Jones, Nathan Weightman, Kevin Weidenback Jnr.,
Tim McLean
8 Katrina Salathiel
7 Scott Rains, Alan Dunsmuir
6 Kieran O’Keeffe, Joshua Smythe
5 M. Frost, Jason Ainsworth
4 Joe Furrugia, Toby Ainsworth
3 Cassandra Troon, Michael Azzopardi
