Harrington brings Group 1 experience back to Queensland

By Jordan Gerrans

Group 1-winning horseman Jack Harrington first made his mark in New Zealand and now back home in Australia, he is determined to do the same again.

The 31-year-old grew up in Caboolture and relocated across the ditch at nine years old to be closer to his father’s family.

He has gone on to make a significant impact on the harness racing scene in New Zealand in the years since, claiming a Group 1 title as a trainer, as well as driving winners for other stables.

Harrington has in recent weeks returned to the Sunshine State and has linked up with Queensland conditioner Michael Brennan.

He had his maiden drive back on home soil at Redcliffe in the middle of last month and took another at Albion Park on Tuesday of this week.

“I got into horses over there and had a reasonable amount of success,” Harrington said.

“I was just looking for a change and a good opportunity came up over here, so I made the move over.

“I was looking for something different. Obviously, the climate is a big appealing factor compared to winter in Christchurch.

“A bit of a change and a new opportunity should be good.

“It is great working for Brennan; he is a legend. I have had a few trial drives since I have been here, as well.”

Harrington has already made the move over to Australia and will soon be joined by his wife Ashley and young daughter Hadley, who will soon turn three years of age.

The shift across the ditch will have an impact on the harness code, as well as the gallopers.

Harrington’s wife Ashley trains a team of thoroughbreds in partnership with her father Russell McKay at Christchurch.

Ashley, who is a former jockey, is set to relocate in the back end of 2026 and will likely train her own team eventually.

“She's probably going to just ride a bit of trackwork and just get to know people at the start,” Jack Harrington said.

“She's got a few friends over here, because obviously there's quite a few Kiwi thoroughbred people that have made the move and train out of the Gold Coast or ride trackwork there.

“That is the same at Beaudesert and other areas nearby.

“So, she already knows a few people, but she's just going to get her feet on the ground first and probably just ride a bit of trackwork and put the feelers out. 

“She will see how things progress over the first sort of 12 months, anyway.”

Back to the standardbreds, Harrington tasted Group 1 glory with Renezmae back in 2017 in the Breeders Crown Final as a two-year-old, which was one of his greatest triumphs in his own training tenure.

At his peak, Harrington prepared a team of 33, which has slowly dwindled down in numbers in recent years, while he also took outside driving engagements.

He started training in 2015 and has prepared 80 winners since.

He has started in Australia in the driving ranks and is keen to return to training in the near future also.

“I am looking at getting into the training side of it, as well,” he said.

“I quite enjoy that. I've just got one trotter here at the moment, so I'm just finishing breaking him at the moment.

“I've just got a couple of horses still in New Zealand, who go not too bad.

“They're probably not superstars, but we might try and just get them to get their mark in New Zealand and then send them over here and I'll carry on with them.

“That’s probably not going to be until next year, hopefully.

“Hopefully they can win a few races over there, anyway.

“Any horse that I can pick up along the way here, I'm not going to say no to them because I still really enjoy the training side of it.

“I'm probably just looking at it as an opportunity to get back into the driving ranks a little bit more.”