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Australasian Young Drivers Championship

See the best of harness racing’s national young talent go head to head in South East Queensland this November in the 2018 Garrard’s Australasian Young Drivers Championship.

The AYDC18 kickstarts a big month of harness racing in Queensland including the Summer Carnival featuring the Group 2 Queensland Cup (15 December).

Get in the summer spirit and join us at this exciting summer harness event!

THURSDAY, 22 NOVEMBER

REDCLIFFE HARNESS RACING CLUB

HEATS 1 - 4

LOT 1 PERCY STREET, BREAKFAST CREEK

FRIDAY, 23 NOVEMBER

REDCLIFFE HARNESS RACING CLUB

HEATS 5 - 8

LOT 1 PERCY STREET, REDCLIFFE PENINSULA

SATURDAY, 24 NOVEMBER

ALBION PARK HARNESS RACING CLUB

HEATS 9 & 10

YULESTAR STREET, BREAKFAST CREEK

YOUNG DRIVER PROFILES

@ 1 NOVEMBER 2018

JAYDEN BREWIN

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

AGE: 18  |  TOTAL DRIVES: 1246 |  WINS: 154  |  PLACINGS: 314  |  STAKES: $664,869

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • "300k 2017 Dominion Handicap on Amaretta Sun."

Representing South Australia for the second consecutive year, Brewin will be looking to improve on his maiden crack at the AYDC when finishing in 8th position. Last year Jayden was able to land a victory, scoring a heat win aboard Game We Play in what was a solid learning platform for the young South-Aussie. Only recently completing his high schooling, Brewin is wasting no time in moving on to a career in the trots, making the move to Victoria to work for the Jess Tubbs/Greg Sugars stable. Winning the South Australian concession drivers title for the past two successive seasons, Brewin also added victory in the Port Pirie Drivers Invitation with victories in two of the six heats.

SHEREE TOMLINSON

NEW ZEALAND (SOUTH ISLAND)

AGE: -  |  TOTAL DRIVES: 976 |  WINS: 75  |  PLACINGS: 145  |  STAKES: $840,111

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • "2016 Ordeal Trotting Cup - $15k race."

Back for her second crack at the AYDC will be the South Island’s representative Sheree Tomlinson who took part in the series in 2017. Heading into the 2017 Series, the Kiwi scored her career highlight when partnering the trotter Ameretto Son to victory in the Group 1 Dominion Trot at Addington for her Grandfather Ken Ford. That win was amongst a career high 29 for the term with her tally this season well on the way to eclipsing past results. Tomlinson scored a Redcliffe win aboard Its All Go on the opening night in last year’s series on her way to 6th placing and will be hoping to improve on that result in 2018.

BENJAMIN BUTCHER

NEW ZEALAND (NORTH ISLAND)

AGE: -  |  TOTAL DRIVES: 1374 |  WINS: 103 |  PLACINGS: 260 |  STAKES: $988,218

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • "Winning a Sires Stakes heat with American Brave, and having a couple of drives at the Harness Jewels last season."

Bringing up a half-century of winners earlier this year, Dylan Ferguson plies his trade on the North Island whereRepresenting the North Island of New Zealand, Butcher come from a strong family involvement in the sport, with his father David a New Zealand Cup winner when steering Changeover to success in the 2008 Cup. Ben who drove a career best 42 winners last season also claimed 2nd placing in the New Zealand Junior Driving Championships. Other highlights of the past season for Butcher were the performances of Better B Amazed who he drove to three victories including successive Auckland wins. Landing the 100th winner of his career at the start of this season, the Kiwi horseman will be looking forward to competing in Australia for the first time. his biggest success came in the North Island Country Cup Final.

Ferguson was recently presented with his title for the North Island junior Driver of the Year for the past season where he recorded 22 wins for the term.

CHRIS GEARY

NEW SOUTH WALES

AGE: 20  |  TOTAL DRIVES: 3711  |  WINS: 501  |  PLACINGS: 914  |  STAKES: $4,369,376

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • "G2 $50,000 Carousel final 2017 - Anything for Love, 50k G2 Miracle Mile night race same horse, 2017 Sapling Stakes - Divine State, G2 2017 Hondo Grattan - Salty Robyn, 2018 100k G1 Len Smith Mile - Cruz Bromac."

Chris Geary is back for another shot at AYDC glory after contesting the series last year for NSW. Competing strongly through the last series, the young New South Welshman was able to take home third place. Since last year’s series, Geary has been able to move on to some further milestones, passing 500 career wins, securing his third successive 100 win season in the cart and win the time-honoured Group Two Carousel for the second consecutive year. Season 2017/18 also saw Geary awarded the title of NSW leading junior driver where he also finished in the top five overall in the NSW title with 105 state wins.

DENI ROBERTS

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

AGE: 23 |  TOTAL DRIVES: 1221  |  WINS: 83  |  PLACINGS: 243  |  STAKES: $697,257

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • "Winning my first metropolitan race on my mums bred/owned/trained horse leftrightgoodnight. A horse that taught me just about everything I know, Representing WA in the women’s championships in Tasmania 2018."

Representing WA will be Deni Roberts who is approaching 100 career victories. Roberts had the distinction of being selected represent WA earlier this year in the Australian Female Drivers Championships in Tasmania at her first inter-state experience and will embark on the Queensland trip eager for success in the Young Drivers Series. Success has flowed for Roberts since landing her first career win aboard Leftrightgoodnight, a horse that also provided Deni with her first metro winner when scoring a Gloucester Park win on January 20 2017. With her figures showing 30+ winners during the past two successive seasons, Roberts will be ready to taste East-Coast success.

JACK LAUGHER

TASMANIA

AGE: 19  |  TOTAL DRIVES: 901  |  WINS: 74  |  PLACINGS: 185  |  STAKES: $664,869

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

  •  

Representing the Apple Isle for the 2018 AYDC will be Jack Laugher, with the young Tasmanian finishing 3rd in the 2017/18 Junior Drivers title in his home state. That placing followed on from his title win the previous season when steering home 31 winners, 22 more than his nearest rival in the premiership. That number saw Laugher finish in equal 6th position in the overall State title which he backed up with 15 winners last season. Finishing 6 wins in arrears of the title winner for season 2017/18, Laugher had 231 less drives than the title winner, highlighting an impressive strike-rate. Helping that tally was an impressive treble recorded at the last meeting of 2017 at Carrick.

DARBY MCGUIGAN

VICTORIA

AGE: 20  |  TOTAL DRIVES: 1298  |  WINS: 135  |  PLACINGS: 333  |  STAKES: $929,157

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • "2yo Vicbred heat on Regal Cheval and back-to-back metropolitan wins at Melton with A Special Dream."

In a breakout season, Victoria’s Darby McGuigan landed his first half-century of wins in the bike when steering home 73 winners for the term. That number was enough to see McGuigan claim third position in the State Concession Drivers title behind established performers Jason Lee and Zac Phillips. Those numbers followed on from his tally of 46 winners in the previous season, with the Ballarat District rising star continuing on the upward spiral as he heads towards 150 career winners in just his third season of race driving. McGuigan had success earlier this season with the talented Regal Cheval, completing a hat-trick of wins on the gelding and is quickly developing a reputation as a smart front-running driver.

NATHAN DAWSON

QUEENSLAND

AGE: 23  |  TOTAL DRIVES: 4688  |  WINS: 549  |  PLACINGS: 1045  |  STAKES: $2,549,854

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • "2018 Young Achievers Award winner. 2018 Queensland Leading Driver."

Nathan Dawson had a stellar 2017/18 Season to be a deserved representative of Queensland and with the local knowledge will be a force to be reckoned with in the series. The past season belonged to Dawson, winning the Redcliffe Drivers and Concession Drivers Premierships, the Queensland Concession Drivers Title and also taking out the Kevin & kay Seymour Young Achiever Award in the past season. The biggest recognition for his talent came with victory in the Queensland State Drivers Title, with Nathan being the only driver to break the 200 win barrier for the season, scoring 208 state wins. This will be the second series that Dawson has competed in after competing in the 2016 AYDC held in Perth when finishing in 5th position behind winner Todd McCarthy.

NARISSA MCMULLEN

QUEENSLAND

AGE: 24  |  TOTAL DRIVES: 6139  |  WINS: 669  |  PLACINGS: 1345  |  STAKES: $3,658,885

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • "2018 Young Drivers Championship Winner, G2 $50,000 Lexus Lady Drivers Invitational @ Menangle 2014."


THE DEFENDING CHAMPION

 

 

 

Fresh from another century season, the 3rd of her career, Narissa McMullen will have the hometown advantage and will look to add to her success in the 2014 Lady Drivers Invitational at Menangle.

The talented driver has started this season strongly as she moved past 600 career wins and was recently crowned the Seymour Young Achiever of the year for the season 2016/17.

ALICIA HARRISON

NEW ZEALAND

AGE: -  |  TOTAL DRIVES: 128  |  WINS: 75  |  PLACINGS: 145  |  STAKES: $142,387

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • "Won the NZ Junior Driving Champs held in July."

In just her third season of race driving, Alicia Harrison takes part in her first series as a New Zealand representative after claiming the NZ Junior Driving Championships. Graduating to the ‘big time’ after winning the Inter Dominion Kidz Kartz, Harrison drover her first winner on February 5 2017 aboard No Way Else on the grass at Tauranga. Last season that first winner was replaced as a career highlight when the North Island based Harrison scored a three point victory over Ben Butcher in the national Junior Driving Championships. The win saw Alicia become just the third female to claim the NZ title. Following on from that success came a winning drive on Group 1 winning mare Jo’s Dream at Auckland at the start of this season. Can Alicia add the AYDC to the NZ title?

MEDIA RELEASE

MAJOR EVENT RETURNS TO QUEENSLAND FOR SECOND YEAR

26 September 2018 | Racing Queensland

Racing Queensland is pleased to announce that with the support of major sponsors Garrard’s Horse and Hound, the 2018 Australasian Young Drivers Championship (AYDC) will again be staged in South East Queensland from November 22-24, 2018.

The AYDC is a series contested by nominated representatives aged 25-and-under* from Australia and New Zealand across 10 heats over three race meetings, with drivers scoring points based on their result in each race.  

The 2018 series will comprise:

  • Albion Park Harness Racing Club (22 Nov): 4 Heats
  • Redcliffe Harness Racing Club (23 Nov): 4 Heats
  • Albion Park Harness Racing Club Metro (24 Nov): 2 Heats

Racing Queensland Harness Development and Strategy Manager David Brick said the series was an ideal opportunity for young drivers to build their profile through social and traditional media coverage, while maintaining a strong book of contacts with racing participants from across Australia.

“Following on from a successful event in Brisbane in 2017, Racing Queensland looks forward to again showcasing the premier up-and-coming drivers from across Australia and New Zealand this summer carnival,” he said.

AYDC17-Cobra-Banner.jpg

“This series will further promote harness racing in Queensland with an emphasis on increased national exposure and further supporting a strategy to promote drivers as heroes of our sport.”

Out to defend her title will be 2017 champion, Queensland’s own Narissa McMullen, who will be joined by 2017-18 Queensland State Drivers Premier Nathan Dawson.

McMullen became the first Queenslander to win the title since Chris Petroff saluted in 2000. She also continued a family tradition in the footsteps of her father John McMullen, who won the 1986 Inter Dominion Junior Drivers Championship.

AYDC-Heat-1-3-A4.jpg

Dawson finished the 2017-18 season with career-best statistics of 208 winners from 1199 drives for more than $1 million in stakes.

Garrard’s Horse and Hound, which supplies specialty products to the Equine and Canine industries in Australia and New Zealand has once again thrown its support behind the series through major sponsorship.

Garrard’s will also provide a Rio Mark 2 sulky to the winning driver and driver’s pants for each participant in the series.

AYDC-2017-Group-Opening-Function-11.jpg

“Garrard’s Horse and Hound has been a major supporter of Queensland racing across all codes for many years and we thank them again for helping to promote the future stars of our sport right here in Queensland,” Mr Brick said.

The young drivers will arrive in Brisbane on Wednesday (21 November) for a welcome function at the Breakfast Creek Hotel before competition starts on Thursday.

They will also have time to take part in a community immersion program where they help raise funds and promote a designated charity.

*Age criteria is a licensed driver who has not attained the age of 25 years at the date of commencement of the Australian or New Zealand racing season.

 

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