Lauren Jones
While the racing spotlight centred on Michelle Payne at Flemington on Tuesday, diminutive teenager, Lauren Jones, created her own slice of personal history when she chalked up a century of career wins at Gloucester Park.
Jones reached her 100th winner on the David Thompson-trained mare, Its a Monet, before capping a memorable afternoon and the second leg of a driving double partnering Majestical Babe who upset hot favourite, Stellar Kamwood.
“It was pretty exciting and it means a lot to me,” said Jones.
“It was one of my goals when I came across to Perth.
“I thought I might get stuck on 99 for a while.
“My next goal is to drive 100 wins in a season.”
Jones, a 19-year-old daughter of Queensland trainer-reinsman, Peter Jones, has made a big impact on Western Australian harness racing since crossing the Nullarbor and teaming up with champion trainer, Gary Hall, last year.
After a successful career contesting events for mini trotters, Jones started driving at Albion Park, Redcliffe and the Gold Coast at 17. She represented Queensland in a championship event for mini trotters at Alexandra Park in Auckland in 2011.
Jones, who joined the Hall training establishment at Serpentine after she saw a job advertised on the Trading Ring, made her Western Australian debut at Pinjarra on Vapour and posted her first with the same horse at her next start at Harvey.
Earlier this year Jones joined an exclusive club when she became only the third reinswoman to compete in Western Australia’s premier harness racing event, partnering Hall’s Soho Highroller in the WA Pacing Cup at Gloucester Park.
Jones, who last year finished 16th in the state and 9th in the metro driver’s premiership, has driven in 890 races for 101 wins and 175 places, collecting $959,446.40 in prizemoney.
