2 July 2019
MENANGLE REVIEW | MICHAEL COURT
SELDOM does a sixth placing mean so much.
Yet a well-beaten sixth at Menangle on Sunday was just enough points to secure the 2019 HRNSW Rising Stars Series for Menangle-based reinsman Josh Gallagher.
Gallagher’s sixth with Muscle Mach was just enough to hold off Maitland reinsman Jake Hughes and take the series.
The race was taken out by Thatswhatisaid (Jack Callaghan), beating Santannas Rocket and Rocking in a race marred by a three-horse fall that ended any hopes three drivers, Sean Grayling, McKayler Barnes and Jordan Seary had of ending the series on a winning note.
Gallagher knows Tabcorp Park Menangle better than anyone as he works fulltime for the KerryAnn and Robert Morris stable, just outside the front gates of the track, so seldom does a day go by when he’s not spotted working a horse there.
“Winning this series was really something special,” said Gallagher.
“I’ve watched the drivers in other series and something like this can really help your career.
“I drove a handy horse today in Argyle Beach, who went 1:52 and raced really well to win the first of today’s two heats.
“Hopefully I’ll get a few more offers of some good drives out of this.
“Long-term I’d like to train a couple myself but I have met a lot of good people this week and gone to some areas I’ve never visited before.
“I landed three winners this week so that can only help my career in the long-term.
“But it has been a week I’ll always remember and I have made a lot of new friends of out of it as well.”
Going into the final two races on Sunday, the series was well and truly up for grabs and after Gallagher scored in the opening race, it came down to a race in two between he and Jake Hughes.
But the best Hughes could manage in the final race of the series was fifth, while Gallagher was right behind him in sixth, to take the title.
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 33 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by a Board of Directors and is independent of Government.
HRNSW MEDIA CONTACT:
AMANDA RANDO | MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
(02) 9722 6600 • arando@hrnsw.com.au • @Amanda_Rando