by Adam Hamilton

“This is the best thing we’ve seen in harness racing Down Under,” said leviathan owner/syndicator Jamie Durnberger-Smith from Summit Bloodstock on the inaugural Ladbrokes Ultimate Driver Championship after two fun, dramatic and exciting nights of racing at Albion Park.

Global superstars Dexter Dunn, Yannick Gingras and Bjorn Goop added so much to the 20-race series, on and off the track, and all raved about the experience.

It was won by local young gun Angus Garrard, but the real winner was harness racing.

Dunn was the top finisher of the “internationals” in fourth spot with Goop fifth and Gingras tied for sixth.

Durnberger-Smith, who had Gingras in his slot, said demand for slots and drivers wanting to be part of the series next year would be “off the charts.”

“You better believe; this has been amazing,” Durnberger-Smith said. “The racing, the way drivers were getting the horses off the gate, all the banter and the build-up, the whole team element. I just loved it; I know our whole crew did. I never wanted it to end.

“Wasn’t it just awesome how much the guys like Yannick, Bjorn and Dexter really got into the spirit of it in the build-up and during it.

“What more can I say… more, more, more. More of things like this is everything we need.”

Gingras, who became a real favorite with Aussie media and fans, said it was beyond his expectations.

“It sounded exciting when I heard about it so I jumped at the chance to be part of it, but I had no idea just how much fun it would be,” he said. “I’ve been in plenty of drivers’ series before, but nothing like this. The slot concept and the draft for drives, they added so much more.

“We also had the best group of drivers, too. Everyone was excited to be part of something new and really made the most of it. “Vicki [Gingras, wife] and I had the best time, on and off the track, and we can’t wait to come back again.”

Dunn, who drove in the Ladbrokes slot, said it was one of the most exciting things he had been part of.

“Wow, that was a hell of an experience,” he said. “It’s the first time I’d driven Down Under since 2018, and what a way to do it. It was amazing how much interest it created. It seemed to really connect everyone — drivers, trainers, slot owners, sponsors and fans.

“They were really smart getting guys like Yannick and Bjorn to come across because they’ll go home raving about their experience and everyone will want to be part of it next year.”

Goop, who said he hadn’t driven a pacer for “about eight years,” won aboard a son of Mach Three (Tracer Bullet) in the eighth race of the series.

It turned around a frustrating start and Goop loved it.

“That’s fantastic,” Goop said. “I’m really happy. Things didn’t go right in the first few races, but to get a win for Scott and his team [slot owner Scott Whitton of Tumby Park] was very good. It’s the first time I’ve driven pacers since the World Driver series in Canada [2017]. It was a long way to come, but I’m so glad I did. It was so different.”

Goop finished with three heat wins, all on pacers.

Garrard, one of two 21-year-olds in the series with New Zealand’s Carter Dalgety, was overwhelmed by the win.

“Just to be part of it, against so many great drivers was a dream come true,” Garrard said. “Winning it is unreal,” he said. “I’m hugely thankful to the SEN team [slot owners] for putting their faith in me and the key runners I got in the draft delivered when I needed them to.

“I’ve been lucky to have a lot of success early in my career, but this is by far the biggest thrill. It’s hard to contain the emotion to be honest.”

Garrard conceded the recognition on an international stage could help later in his career.

“You look at guys like Dexter, Toddy [McCarthy] and Andy [McCarthy] and think about trying your luck at some stage over here,” he said. “It’s not something I’m rushing to do, but the people I’ve met and the people watching this series will certainly help when the time is right to have a look over there.”

Jessica Otten, the face of Meadowlands media, was part of the Australian trackside coverage of the series.

“So much fun, the trip of a lifetime,” she said. “I’ll go home with lots of ideas for us to explore in the U.S.

“I give all the credit to the people behind the scenes for the initiative to come up with something new for our sport. From top to bottom this was a very unique series that was well received across the globe… I had goosebumps.”

The final word belongs to Racing Queensland’s David Brick, the man behind the innovative series.

“It’s been everything we hoped and so much more,” he said. “The buy-in from all the drivers, especially those who came from overseas, has been a real highlight. It was great for the local industry to have the locals go so well and Angus winning it was fairytale stuff.

“Betting turnover is always important and, pleasingly, the punters really embraced the series with some very strong engagement from punters… way beyond the sort of figures we’d get for normal race meetings. We’ve built it and we’re keen and open to tinker with it to make it even better, so we welcome any feedback.”

FINAL STANDINGS

180 points — Angus Garrard

155 — Gary Hall, Jr.

146 — Pete McMullen

133 — Dexter Dunn

128 — Bjorn Goop

121 — Brad Hewitt and Yannick Gingras

116 — Nathan Dawson

96 — Carter Dalgety

81 — Kate Gath