By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk
The highlights just keep coming for Sam Ottley.
2024 has finished with a roar for the history-making driver. She has had 14 wins in six days either side of Christmas and along the way became the first New Zealand woman to drive 100 winners in a 12 month season.
And it gets even better – yesterday she won in front of a huge crowd at Motukarara with Justa Terra, a Terror To Love four-year-old trained by her mother Denise.
“The last few days have been a massive thrill and a highlight but this is right up there,” Ottley told Harness Unhinged’s Nigel Armstrong post race, “driving for your mum … it’s a big thrill.”
Previously with Gerard O’Reilly, Justa Terra hadn’t been seen on race day since a seventh at Timaru in April last year. Denise Ottley has been training him for four months.
Sam gave the horse the perfect run fresh up. They started safely and were nestled three back the fence before launching up the passing lane to win by over a length.
The victory evoke memories of Sam Ottley’s first ever win. It came with another horse trained by her mum in her first ever race day drive on her 18th birthday with Nigel Paul at Kurow in 2008.
Overall Sam Ottley has now driven 13 winners for Denise, headed by Rocki Warrior (4) and including OK I’m Bad and Majesticmite (3), Reformed, Tempo Warrior and Minnelli Smile (2) and Nigel Paul, Justakiwiboy, Alantic, Justa Terra, Artfilly Crafted, Clarendon’s Last, and Star Paige (1 each).
Ottley had a double at Motukarara yesterday, also winning with What The Bell in the Dakins Group Trot.
That took her to 107 wins for the season, a remarkable result considering even getting to 100 looked in the balance in recent weeks.
Since winning twice at Cambridge on Christmas Eve she won five at Westport on Boxing Day, one at Gore on December 27, four at Westport on December 28 and the two at Banks Peninsula yesterday.
Other highlights from yesterday was a Brent Borcoskie-trained quinella in the first with Lindy’s Rocket and Tessamae and trainer Laurence Hanrahan preparing Tanzania and Woodbine Rocks to finish first and third in the day’s feature, the Paul Renwick Joinery Motukarara Christmas Cup.
Tanzania produced a huge run for John Morrison out wide to mow down a very game Katherine and Woodbine Rocks, who secured a nice trip in the one-one. It was Tanzania’s fourth win this year and fifth overall.
Hanrahan was on course to enjoy the victory yesterday after a recent accident when he was kicked by a horse, cracking ribs and suffering a tear to his spleen.
And with just one day of the 2024 season left the junior drivers’ premiership is down to just one. Carter Dalgety leads the premiership on 65 wins, one ahead of Sam Thornley.
He closed the gap to one when favourite Bettor Be Sharp took out the Tim and John Dunn Junior Drivers Pace.
