Darby scoops up maiden victory

By Dave Di Somma - Harness News Desk

 It’s taken a while but Logan Darby says his breakthrough victory with Rainbow Wiri was worth the wait.

It was his first win in 15 drives in what was the first amateur drivers race at Alexandra Park since July 2015.  

“It was my first drive under the lights at Alexandra Park,” he said, “I was quite surprised at how well he went.”

In the last at the Park on Thursday night Rainbow Wiri, trained by his father Ray Darby, was 9/10 in the betting and had to do it tough,  racing three wide and then parked before proving too strong.

“I half expected him to stop… I thought Edamfast was going to swamp him.”

But the six year old just kept trucking to the line to give Rainbow Wiri his third win from 54 starts.

Ray Darby hasn’t had the horse long, it was only transferred to him in March.

“Dad is 80 in January,” said Logan, “he still trains the horse and me and my brother (Jeff) work him, Dad just tells us what to do. But if we are not around he’ll still jump in the cart.”

After the early morning duties at the stables in Patumahoe Logan Darby’s day job  is all about ice cream. He works as a purchasing and supply manager for Emerald Foods, the makers of NZ Natural and Killinchy Gold.

“I’ve been there for 20 years.”

And he won’t have to wait long to get another go – another amateur drivers race is scheduled for July 1.