Ella Lyons first race win on Barrett
ELLA Lyons has something in common with her boyfriend Cam Hart after winning her first race drive at Redcliffe last night.
It’s almost 10 years since Hart, now one of Australasia’s top drivers, won aboard Ideal Investment at Albury on his first drive.
Lyons’ launched her career with an all-the-way win aboard the John Boserio-trained Barrett in the opening race at Redcliffe last night (Wednesday).
While Hart was bred into racing and grew up through the pony trots, 20-year-old Lyons left a job as an apprentice hairdresser almost four years when offered a job at the stables of Hall of Famer Vic Frost and his wife, Gail Geeson.
They’ve become almost family in that time.
“I’ve got them to thank for it … I wouldn’t be driving if Vic didn’t talk me into it,” Lyons said.
“Go further back, and Vic is why I’m even working in the game. I used to cut his hair and he offered me a stable hand job, even though I’d had almost nothing to do with horses.”
Geeson was trackside for Lyons’ first win and was overwhelmed by the response.
“Not just from everyone on track, the drivers and trainers, but Ella and my phone ran hot after the win,” she said.
“It was a fantastic moment. Kevin Seymour has followed her really closely and was the first to text when she hit the line.
“Tony (Lockett, AFL Hall of Famer) also texted. He’s followed Ella’s progress closely since getting to know us.”
Lyons said she was never confident until Barrett held-on to win by 1.8m.
“I kept thinking the horse on the outside was coming at me and might get me,” she said.
Lyons will return to Redcliffe today (Thursday) chasing her second win at her second drive.
Her lone drive at the meeting is Zac Daniels, a pacer she named, in race seven. He’s trained by Frost and Geeson.
“The pressure is really on for this one because Vic’s going to be trackside. I need to win a race for Vic,” she said.
PHOTOS: Dan Costello
