Lisa Bartley drove Als Courage from the Amanda Turnbull yard to victory at her first race drive tonight.
Congupna reinswoman Lisa Bartley achieved a rare feat aboard Als Courage tonight at Shepparton, notching a winner with her first race drive.
A quick question to the #trots folk on Twitter revealed she joined such drivers as Jason Lee, Damian Wilson, Nathan Purdon and Cameron Jones as debutant-drive winners.
Bartley took Als Courage to the lead early after initially being caught wide before handing up to in-form Watch This Spot.
Amanda Turnbull, who trains Als Courage but was driving $2.70 race favourite and stablemate Star Black, took her charge to the front approaching the home corner and pinched a sizeable break as Bartley awaited the sprint lane to open behind a tiring pacesetter.
Once she got clear Bartley steered Als Courage into the lane and the son of Courage Under Fire/Smoothie Road launched, gobbling up the ground to score by a half-neck in 1:58.4 (last half and quarter covered in 58.3 and 29.8).
Als Courage, which paid $4 tonight, had put the writing on the wall last start with an unlucky second.
Making the race win even more special for Bartley was that her two sisters, Ellen and Rebecca, also drove in the event, Ellen finishing fifth aboard Alcolism and Rebecca sixth behind Modern Lebron.