Young driver Luke going good

By Jordan Gerrans

Teenage reinsman Luke Thirgood is inspired by his heroes Nathan Rothwell, Nathan Dawson and Brendan Barnes as he aims to make his own mark on the Queensland driving ranks.

Having only recently turned 16 years of age, Thirgood made his race day debut last month and has taken four professional drives since progressing through the junior ranks.

Thirgood’s best finish in a race so far was his maiden performance at the races when he ran third behind Rolling Bonus for his boss Greg Franklin at Redcliffe in late September. 

“It was a great start,” Thirgood said.

“I have not had much luck since then, but I will keep going and hopefully get the monkey off my back soon enough. I have got one at Marburg on Sunday.”

The Sunshine State youngster is a product of the mini trotters concept and represented the Queensland Junior Harness Racing Association at the Inter Dominion in Victoria earlier in his teenage years, as well as other feature events.

Thirgood follows in the footsteps of other young Queensland drivers such as Layne Dwyer and Angus Garrard, among others, who have progressed from the mini trotters to senior driving in recent years.

Still with a couple of years to complete of his secondary studies, the up-and-coming Thirgood regularly speaks to top reinsman such as Rothwell, Dawson and Barnes for advice in the sulky.

“It is certainly tighter and quicker than you expect when you are coming out of the trials into races,” Thirgood said of driving in races.

“It is definitely quicker and things go a bit faster. But, it is really good.”

Thirgood has aimed to upskill himself in the industry in recent years, spending his school holidays at the stables of champion horseman Grant Dixon while also helping out around Donny Smith and Franklin’s stables at Redcliffe.

Hobby trainer Franklin prepares a handful of pacers these days and says Thirgood is a diligent worker.

“He is very keen, he comes every day before school and has been doing so for the last two-and-a-half years or so,” Franklin said.

“He is very competent, if I ask him to work a horse over a certain distance at a certain time, he can rate them perfectly, which for someone his age to do is quite clever – he is very good at it.

“He is quite an intelligent kid.”

Franklin’s Rolling Bonus started as a $10 outsider in Thirgood’s maiden race day appearance and the teenager drove him into third place from a front row draw over 1780 metres.

“He is competent and handles himself well,” Franklin said.

“He has a good seat on a horse.

“He can rate one, he knows how quick they are going.”

Thirgood describes Franklin as his ‘number one mentor’ and says he helps him a lot with his honest feedback.

Once Thirgood finishes high school, he is keen to search out an electrical apprenticeship while staying involved in the harness racing industry on the side.

The emerging youngster believes his formative years competing in the mini trotters prepared him perfectly to take on senior drivers.

“It certainly does help you, especially with the little things,” he said.

“It helps you get ready for everything with the gear and all of that.

“Plenty of people around the mini trotters, they help you, as well. It is a great thing.”