THE Americans are doing their best to entice Australia’s premier driver James Herbertson to make the US home.
Just days after resuming his working holiday in New Jersey, Herbertson has been swamped with driving bookings on Saturday.
The 24-year-old will drive in 20 races across two meetings.
Herbertson’s Saturday starts with four drives at The Meadows track in Pennsylvania.
He then heads to Scioto Downs in Ohio for a staggering 16 drives – that’s a drive in every race.
Summit Bloodstock’s Jamie Durnberger-Smith said US harness giants Mark Weaver and Ron Burke were throwing huge support behind Herbertson.
“That’s amazing to think he’s just got back over and they’ve given him so many drives,” he said.
“James has made a good impression over there and obviously he’s got a lot of thinking to do about what the next chapter of his career looks like.”
Herbertson flew back to the US on Tuesday after speaking at the Memorial Service for Greg Sugars at Melton on Monday.
He talked of Sugars as “another father, a mentor and my idol.”
Just before flying out, Herbertson said: “Now my whole world has changed and will never be the same.
“I’m going back to finish what I started in the US. It’s a chance to reset.
“To be honest, I wasn’t planning on staying that long in Australia once I finished this trip, but there is so much more to consider now.
“Jess (Tubbs) will need a worker and a driver … we’ve all got a lot of thinking to do.”
Herbertson and partner, Ewa Justice, fly to Stockholm early next week where Herbertson will work in a local stable and the couple will experience the amazing Elitlopp meeting at Solvalla on May 25.
It will have an Aussie flavour with Inter Dominion winner The Locomotive becoming just the fourth Australian-trained trotter to contest the iconic race.
