Mark Yole is one of two drivers set to represent Tasmanian in the 2019 Triple M Australian Drivers Championship
Mark Yole grew up in the Western Victorian country town of Hamilton but after calling Tasmania home for the past nine-years, Yole is happy to call himself a “Taswegian” and tonight in Hobart he will represent his home state with Ricky Duggan in the Triple M Australian Drivers Championship.
In his time in the state Yole has claimed two state drivers premierships, including last season which earned him automatic selection to represent the state for the second time, but being one of the states leading drivers has taken its toll on the 31-year-old who is thrilled to be taking part in tonight’s seven-race series.
“I’m honoured to represent the state, I recall in 2015 when the series was first in Tasmania at Launceston I was pre-race warming a horse up and I thought to myself how cool it would be to drive in a series like this,” Yole recalled.
His first stint in Tasmania was towards the end of 2006 when he moved across with his brother Ben before working his way south to work with hall-of-fame trainer-driver Tony Petersen before he moved back across to Victoria in late 2008.
Yole then relocated back to Tasmania in 2010 and has called himself Tasmanian ever since.
“I have a Tasmanian wife and Tasmanian kids so I consider myself Tasmanian now,” Yole laughed.
Yole has won two Tasmanian drivers titles including last season when he drove 88-winners.
“It was a career-best season, I drove five more winners than I did in 2015-2016,” the season of which he claimed his first state title.
“I was lucky enough to drive some nice horses last season like Sea Double Ugrant and Star Chamber and some of Ben’s (Yole) at the right time including Mornings at the start of the season,” said Yole.
“I probably didn’t have the feature race success I have had in the past but in the weight of numbers, it was a good season,” explained the leading driver.
Yole was fortunate enough last season to win the New Norfolk Cup on Sea Double Ugrant as well as the Brighton Cup with Star Chamber, with both races being held at the Elwick Racing Complex, but it was the final of the time-honoured Allen Williams Memorial for maidens in Devonport which gave him one of the seasons biggest highlight.
“I got a big thrill winning the Allan Williams Memorial, to be honest, Troy McDonald qualified Nor Westa in the heat and elected to drive Rocket Blaster in the final, no one rated her chances but everything fell into place and she was able to get the job done,” Yole recalled.
Yole has been very public with his battle with depression which was a part of a feature story for Sky Racing’s harness racing magazine program In The Gig.
“I had a tough period back in 2013, I sourced help and got things sorted, it’s still an ongoing issue, I have to work through but the support I have around me is key to that,” Yole explained.
“When I spoke out about it I thought if I could get one person to go and talk to someone, that I have achieved something, but to have other people approach me and ask my opinion has been incredible and I’m happy to have been able to help others,” said Yole.
You can watch a replay of the visual feature here.
Tonight Yole has a drive in all eight races and believes the Shelley Barnes trained Yatsenyuk Leis in race five is his best drive to secure maximum points.
The gelded son of Shadow Play has won his last two starts well in Launceston, leading on both occasions.
“His last two runs have been sensational, he has drawn the second row which I think is a bit of a question mark but I think he will run well if I can get him into the race at some point,” explained Yole.
Yole believes the drive of Yatsenyuk Leis in Launceston two starts ago has shown a new dimension on how to drive the pacer.
“I think Johnny (Walters) worked him out two starts ago when he just let him run,” he said.
In heat six Yole partners the Chris Viney trained pacer El Jays Blu who is first up since April.
“I think he has a chance in that field from the nice draw, he showed good gate speed last time in, and has trialled alright at Carrick recently, if he happens to lead I think he can run a bit of a race,” explained Yole.
The most recent trial for El Jays Blu was at Carrick on 28 October when defeated four metres by Gypysys Clown, who has made the form look good by winning in Launceston last Sunday.
Yole shares state duties with Hall of fame driver Ricky Duggan, the most winningest Tasmanian driver of all time.
Other drivers contesting the series are:
- Victoria: Kerryn Manning and Darby Mcguigan,
- New South Wales: Todd McCarthy and KerryAnn Morris
- Queensland: Pete McMullen and Narissa McMullen,
- South Australia: Danielle Hill and Ken Rogers,
- Western Australia: Ryan Warrick and Gary Hall Jnr.
Punters are best to head to Tasracing’s Formplus and study up on the form with a tipping competition on the meeting with a $200 prepaid Visa card and Australian Drivers Championship merchandise up for grabs.
Race one tonight will be shown on Sky Racing 2 with the remainder of the meeting on Sky Racing 1.
All races will be shown on TasracingTV.
