A night Steph Burley will never forget. Photo by Bathurst HRC
TWENTY-year-old Kiwi expatriate Steph Burley experienced the thrill of her first driving win at Bathurst's twilight meeting on Wednesday and enjoyed the experience so much that she backed up for a second success in the very next race.
Both winners were trained by Steve Turnbull, father of her boyfriend Mitchell and her boss for the past few months, and were part of a four-win haul by the leading trainer.
The special first win came behind Our Emancipation with Burley revving up the three-year-old Real Desire filly from a wide draw to find the lead into the first turn, remaining in front for the 2660m race.
To make it even more special, the filly is owned by her Auckland-based parents Mark and Heather, a fact appreciated and noted by Steve Turnbull after one of his wins later in the meeting.
Heather was on the phone soon after the win to pass on parental congratulations, and later on it was the turn of Mitch Turnbull, even further away in Perth, where he'll be for the next month or so . . . he managed a win with his very first drive in the west, at Pinjarra two days earlier, making it a rather special time for the young couple.
And though she wasn't aware of it till the following day, her poised performance earned her the Drive-of-the-Night award from race caller Mitch Manners, who thought she rated the winner to absolute perfection.
Half –an-hour later, it was back to the winners' circle again, this time with the aptly-named Oh I Am The One, after a contrasting but equally skilful drive, positioning the Gotta Go Cullen gelding in the one-one trail before getting the bob in right on the line in a desperately close finish.
When it was suggested at the presentation that "You're starting to make a habit of this," her "I hope so" response was both spontaneous and understandable.
Stephanie might have had to wait about twelve months since her debut drive - a second behind Global View at Menangle - to finally secure that first win, but now she's done it, and gone one more for good measure.
Steve Turnbull drove the other two winners from his stable, Sabrage and Gentleman Red, while Ashlee Grives also scored a driving double at the meeting with Platinum Roulette in the fast-class and Zibibbo in a Three-Year-Old Fillies sprint.
Vergels Girl continued a great winning run for the Connolly family from Carcoar by leading throughout - her third win this season - while Lexy Can Wait, for Bernie Hewitt, appreciated a drop in class to score a last-stride win in the corresponding male division.
Rains continue to flood the Bathurst region. Hopefully "the winter of our discontent" will soon give way to "glorious summer".
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 33 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by an industry-appointed Board of Directors and is independent of Government.
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