Hanara - McGowan combo strikes again

By Michael Guerin

Taitlyn Hanara’s latest win was just like her first.

It was a trotter at huge odds and trained by two of the people that have helped her most in harness racing.

That win came at Cambridge on Friday night when the immensley popular young junior driver got the best out of Taylad To Use to win the $15,000 Happy Birthday John Coulam Trot.

It mirrored her first winner which was Phoebe Gem at Alexandra Park back in 2018 as both were long odds and both trained by Dave and Clare McGowan.

“To win another race for Dave and Clare is really special,” says Hanara.

“They were a huge part of getting me into Kidz Kartz and supporting me and then again when I started out as a junior driver.

“So it means a lot to drive another winner for me because they have done so much for me. I wor for them full time now.”

Hanara was a Kidz Kartz star, winning both the NZ and Auckland Cups and loves driving in the big time, with Friday’s win her 13th and on a night where she also had a third and a fourth, a big night for any northern junior driver.

But getting Taylad To Use to win for the third time is no small feat as he has been a puzzle for the stable.

“He can be really tricky but I like him and it was cool to win on him.

“I actually love driving the trotters. I don’t know if that is because of my KIdz Kartz days but I really enjoy them.

“Maybe it is because you have to concentrate more than pacers.”

Like a true horsewoman Hanara says she loves driving but would still work with horses even if she couldn’t.

“I really enjoy the behind the scenes stuff. I love being around the horses and helping Dave and Clare get the the best out of them.”

Hanara was in good company on Friday night as some of the biggest names in northern harness had successful nights.

Tony Herlihy trained two debut winners in trotter Hillbilly Blues, who clearly has a future, and juvenile Great White, who held out stablemate Roy Kent by a half-head to continue the great run Herlihy seems to have every season with early juveniles.

Team Telfer trained three winners in Molly Belwin, D J Rock and Precious Bet, all driven by Josh Dickie.

That takes Dickie to 14 wins already for the season from just 62 drives putting him fifth on premiership and the only North Island-based driver in the top 12.