Northern rookie claims first driving win

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  

At just her fourth attempt, Devon Towers secured her first ever win at Cambridge last night.

"It came a lot sooner than I expected," she says.  

The 22-year-old worked her way to the lead with Dear God in The K&L At The Races Junior Drivers Mobile Pace and never really looked in danger of being  headed, to win by two lengths.

Fittingly the success was for her employers, Peter and Vaughan Blanchard.

"I had a rough plan of what I was going to do in the race," says Towers, "Vaughan had talked me through the field and Pete had discussed some tactics, and we decided to go to the front."

And when Towers was leading with less than 300 to go she could hear her boss urging her on.

"I heard Pete screaming out on the home turn so I just pulled the hood and went for it and she was jogging."

A bit of rough and tumble between two of the other favoured runners Aunty Rose and He's Tough early in the race certainly didn't harm her chances.

It was Dear God's fourth win but her first since joining the Blanchards earlier this year.

"I've only driven her a handful of times (in work)," says Towers, "and she is just getting better and better."

Towers was brought up around horses in Taranaki with her father Brendan  training and/or driving winners since the 1990s. He has also been a key figure in the sport in Hawera, and is a former Club president.

Towers started out in Kidz Kartz and is now part of HRNZ's Cadet scheme. She  also had a stint at Matty White's Cambridge stables before starting her current job with the Blanchards at Pukekohe just over a year ago.

Towers' first win was part of a very successful night for the juniors on the seven-race programme. They had five wins in total with Jacob Dunn (R1), Kate Coppins (R2), Alicia Harrison (R5) and Ollie Gregory (R7) all joining her by taking out their respective races.