Tuppence and Ryan Sanderson - Courtesy of Stu McCormick
COURTESY OF HARNESS RACING UPDATE
IT is not often you get to step into the shoes of your idol.
But that’s exactly what top young Victorian driver Ryan Sanderson will do over the next two weeks.
The 22-year-old Sanderson was just in his mid-teens when he first met Cam Hart, then still a teenager himself.
Hart, who grew up in the NSW Riverina town of Junee, moved to the big smoke to try his luck and landed a job with Sanderson’s father, Shane Sanderson, who was then training a team out of the fantastic on-course Menangle complex.
Fast forward about seven years and a then untapped but ambitious Hart has now become one of Australasia’s best drivers.
Hart. 26, boasts almost 1400 wins, including 16 at Group 1 level.
But it’s the quality of those major wins and the horses Hart has driven which has quickly built his brand.
Champion stayer Swayzee has been his megastar. Hart has driven him to win iconic races like the NZ Cup (twice), Hunter Cup, Victoria Cup and Blacks A Fake.
More recently, Hart became the regular driver for the regally bred and exciting young star Bay Of Biscay.
They first created a splash winning Australia’s premier four-year-old race, the Group 1 Chariots Of Fire, at Menangle back in March.
Hart trumped that when he returned to Menangle with Bay Of Biscay early last month to win the richest harness race in the world, the $A2.1mil TAB Eureka.
The pair have just clicked. Hart’s 11 drives on the four-year-old have returned five wins, three seconds, a third and a fourth. He’s won three of his past four drives on him.
But the partnership was never set in concrete.
It couldn’t be the inevitability Bay Of Biscay would surge to open-class feature race and clash with Swayzee.
As much as Hart loves Bay Of Biscay, Swayzee is like family.
That moment has come with Bay Of Biscay and Swayzee both headed to Saturday week’s $A250,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton.
Bay Of Biscay will cap his preparation for the Cup in Saturday night’s Smoken Up Sprint at Melton.
With Hart having a strong book of drives at Menangle on the same night and being committed to Swayzee a week later, the time came for Bay Of Biscay’s connections to pick a new driver.
Ryan Sanderson is that man.
It’s fitting recognition and responsibility for what’s been a breakthrough season for the young fella from Murchison in central Victoria.
Although Sanderson has driven over 100 winners three seasons, he’s on target to smash that in 2025 with a stunning winning strike rate of 19 per cent, compared to 14 per cent across his career.
And the quality of horses Sanderson has driven and his wins has gone to another level.
Much of that is due to the relatively recent support from Bay Of Biscay’s trainers, the powerhouse combination of Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin.
“The opportunities they’ve given me have been amazing,” he said. “It’s what every driver strives for and I’m pinching myself a bit that it’s happening.”
A buzzing Sanderson said the Victoria Cup drive was a dream come true.
“I thought getting a drive in the TAB Eureka was amazing (Fox Dan for Stewart and Tonkin) and running second made it an incredible night, but the history of the Victoria and Hunter Cups are what you grow up hearing about and watching replays of,” he said.
“The Victoria Cup is always talked about and has been won by some of the greatest horses in the game.
“To think, I’ll even be driving in it is so exciting.”
For all of Sanderson’s success, his biggest win so far has been the $A60,000 Mildura Cup at Group 3 level in regional Victoria.
Although he cites a heat of the 2024 NSW Inter Dominion series as the most special.
“Well, I have it on par with that second in the TAB Eureka now,” he said. “I won that heat on Dangerous, our family horse trained by Dad,” he said.
And for the drive to come on Bay Of Biscay, a horse Hart has helped make, adds to the enormity of the occasion over the next few weeks.
“I’ve looked up to Cam ever since he first came and worked for Dad (at Menangle). He’s a terrific guy and someone I’ve always looked up to as inspiration, a role model if you like,” Sandersonm said.
“It’s been great watching Cam go on and do things he’s done, winning all those big races and driving some great horses. He’s already pretty much done it all.
“If I could get anywhere near his level I’d be thrilled.
“Just to be asked to fill his shoes and drive Bay Of Biscay in quite an honour.”
Sanderson is no stranger to Bay Of Biscay.
“I did drive him to win a trial a few months back (June 10) when he was preparing for a big race in Queensland (the Group 1 Rising Sun), which he didn’t end up going to because they couldn’t get a suitable flight. I knew I was just warming the seat, though,” he said.
“He’s a lovely, big strong horse with speed, strength and class.
“He’s got his work cut out against Leap To Fame this week, especially from their barriers (Leap To Fame has six and Bay Of Biscay seven), but it’s more about getting a good run into him before the Victoria Cup the week after.
“Hopefully he can draw better than Leap To Fame next week to give us some sort of chance, but he’s something else (Leap To Fame). I’m pretty sure he’s one of the best we’ve ever seen.”
In another twist, Sanderson and Bay Of Biscay will be against the family horse, Dangerous, in Saturday night’s race.
Sanderson’s sister, Abby, who has driven 86 winners, now drives Dangerous at the races.
“Abby’s doing a great job. She’s just started full-time work in real estate, but she still helps out at home with the horses every chance she gets,” Ryan said.
“We usually work between 10-15 horses at home, but the other side of the business is pre-training thoroughbreds.
“We moved from Charlton into this Murchison place about 10 months ago. We’ve got a really good farm set-up, with a water-walker and everything else, as part of Willowood Racing. Paul and Danny Lowry are the main people behind it.
“It’ll be a big night for Mum (Naomi) and Dad (Shane) with us both in the race.”
PHOTO:- Ryan Sanderson with Tuppence - Stuart McCormick
COURTESY OF HARNESS RACING UPDATE
