Lance Justice has not walked away from the 2006/07 harness racing season empty-handed.
The Melton horseman was forced to play second fiddle to Peter Manning in both the Victorian trainers’ premierships, but he got his revenge last night when he scored a thrilling win in the 2007 Vin Knight Medal.
Justice wasn’t even leading heading into last Friday night’s final metropolitan meeting of the season, but the three votes he earned for a winning double lifted him to victory over Australian drivers’ premiership winner Daryl Douglas.
Justice finished with 33 votes to score a two-vote win over Douglas. Third was 2005 Vin Knight medallist and this year’s metropolitan drivers’ premiership winner Chris Alford on 24 votes.
Ironically, it is the Equine Influenza (EI) virus that has thrown Australian racing into chaos that Justice has to thank for his Vin Knight Medal success.
“It’s funny how things work out, because had we not have had this EI saga I wouldn’t have even been at Moonee Valley on Friday night. I would have been in Sydney for the Chariots Of Fire with Smoken Up.”
Among the other awards presented at the gala evening at Crown Palladium was the Most Improved Trainer, which went to Great Western’s Michelle Manning.
The daughter of master trainer Peter Manning and sister of superstar driver Kerryn Manning won 33 races in 2006/07, which was well up on the 12 races she won the previous season.
Chris Svanosio picked up the Most Improved Driver award after piloting 39 winners last season, 21 winners more than the Bendigo reinsman drove in 2005/06.
Shepparton reinsman Nathan Jack claimed the Young Achiever Award after punching home 95 winners to win the concession drivers’ premiership, while a second consecutive top-10 finish in that award earned Cranbourne’s Shane McGuinness the Youth Encouragement Award.
The ceremony also saw the latest inductee into the Sport 927 Hall Of Fame, with Whittlesea’s Andrew Peace joining some of the greats of the sport.
This year saw the Harness Racing Owners’ Association present a Special Achievement Award, with the inaugural recipient being Woorndoo trainer Bob Mahncke.
