Australia’s leading driver will spend five weeks working with Ron Burke.

by Adam Hamilton

James Herbertson wants more.

And that’s what is inspiring Australia’s leading driver to step out of his comfort zone at the peak of his powers to spend almost two months seeing how the rest of the world does it.

Herbertson’s adventure started today (April 12) when he flew out of Melbourne to New York.

The 25-year-old, who boasts over 1,500 career wins and six at Group 1 level, will spend five weeks working with Hall of Famer trainer Ron Burke.

Then it’s over the Stockholm, Sweden for 10 days at a perfect time while the iconic Elitlopp is on.

“I’ve been counting down the days. I can’t wait to get there,” Herbertson said.

Many think it will be a forerunner to last season’s premier Australian driver following the likes of Andy and Todd McCarthy and making the U.S. home.

“If you mean, will I be tempted and just stay there, no that won’t be happening,” he said. “Let’s call it a fact-finding mission. I’ve never been to the U.S., not even on a holiday, so the first part is to see what it’s like over there and learn as much as I can.

“So many people rave about it and I’ve had so many telling me for years now that I’ve simply got to get over there. There’s no such thing as a good time to go, I’ll be giving up some nice drives here and I’ve probably got the best set of young horses to drive that I’ve ever had, but the opportunity is here and I don’t want to miss out.”

The opportunity arose when Herbertson won Harness Racing Victoria’s “Young Guns” series for junior drivers on New Year’s Eve last year, which carried with it the opportunity to spend time with top Swedish trainer Jorgen Westholm.

“I’d been thinking about it before then, but that was the clincher, so to speak,” Herbertson said. “I’ve been planning when to go since then.”

The U.S. part of the trip built strongly when Herbertson met leviathan U.S. owner Mark Weaver through Summit Bloodstock’s Jamie Durnberger-Smith at the hugely successful Ladbrokes Ultimate Driver Challenge in Brisbane during February.

“That certainly got me even more excited,” Herbertson said. “Mark and Jamie, who also own horses with Ron, said they would both back me over there and give me drives when their regular drivers aren’t available. You can’t ask for any more than that. I hope to be driving at Pocono [this] week.

“I know I’ll have to earn my stripes over there; in fact, I want to. I’ll be very happy to drive at those second-tier meetings.”

Herbertson will reunite with former Aussie Brad Chisholm and stay with him for his first week in the U.S.

“Brad’s been over there working and driving for a while now and he’s been great in offering me somewhere to stay until I settle in and get my own place,” he said. “I can’t wait to get stuck into it, see how different it is and how it all works.”

You can almost hear in Herbertson’s voice, his want to see future opportunities emerge.

“I’ve got no real plans as I’ve said,” he said. “There’s no hiding the fact the racing here [in Victoria] is a real battle at the moment, prize money is down and it doesn’t look like turning around anytime soon.

“There’s an effort versus reward thing to consider. I’m driving at so many meetings and doing so much travel; I’ll burn out at some stage if I keep going.

“I’m not tied down at all and I’m open to explore what opportunities the U.S. might have. It’s a case of dipping my toe in and doing a temperature check. A ‘win’ from the trip would be coming home with plenty of thinking to do about my future.”

Herbertson is buzzing about being in Sweden for the Elitlopp.

“That’s something I have been to before, when I was younger,” he said. “I don’t have to tell you what an amazing experience it is, not just the races, Stockholm itself when it’s Elitlopp time.”

This trip will be different with Herbertson spending time at Westholm’s stable and hoping to do some driving, albeit he will only be in Sweden for 10 days.

“Ryan Sanderson, another young driver from here [in Victoria] went across and did the same with Jorgen last year and spoke so highly of him,” Herbertson said. “They all say he’s a great supporter of young people in the game. Jorgen gave Ryan a few drives once he’d settled in and I’d love the same opportunity.”

Herbertson’s timing couldn’t be better with star Aussie trotter, The Locomotive, winner of last December’s Inter Dominion final in Sydney, already in Sweden and preparing to tackle the Elitlopp.

He will be just the fourth Aussie-trained trotter to contest the famed event.

“What a bonus,” Herbertson said. “It’ll be great to have a few more Aussies there.”

Top Kiwi trainer Cran Dalgety and his son, young gun driver Carter, who spent time in the U.S. driving last year, will also be part of the Down Under contingent at the Elitlopp.