Despite not winning a race in Hobart on Sunday night, driver Brodie Davis still left the track a winner, claiming the 2026 BOTRA Novice Drivers Series.
Davis landed three second placings and a fourth place, being enough to secure the top points.
It was the first BOTRA Novice Drivers Series win for the driver, having previously won the 2024 Youngbloods Challenge, and he also dead-heated for first in the same series in 2025.
“It was a huge thrill to win it,” said Davis.
“It was a bit of an odd way to win it (without winning a heat), I was just heading back to the drivers’ room to get changed, and they told me that I had won.
“Everything I drove ran up to their ability, and we were thereabouts all night.
“It was a good competitive night, everyone drove well, and they were good races to drive in,” the driver said.
Here is how the BOTRA Novice Drivers Series unfolded.
Heat 1
Gobsmacked ($23.50) for Ethan Arnott settled three back the pylons from a second-row draw, and didn’t have to go around a horse, after flying along the sprint lane to score by 2.4m in 1:56.4s.
“I was really happy with him. he got a good run three pegs with a bit of tempo on which helped,” the driver said about the Wayne Yole-trained pacer.
Heat 2
It was a Wayne Yole-trained runner winning again, this time with nine-year-old gelding, Mista Eagle ($4.60), who scored by a neck in a mile rate of 1:58.4s for the 2090m. Driver Grace Jones had the pacer three-back the pegs before finishing off best along the sprint lane.
“He had a perfect draw, and the race had a strong tempo which suited him to the ground and he was too strong late,” said the driver post-race.
Heat 3
It was Grace Jones again, this time teaming up with trainer Christian Salter to score with Iden Oliver ($2.00 fav), who led all the way for a 6.2m win in a mile rate of 2:00.5s for the 2090m trip.
“We found the top which we didn’t think we would get, and got it really easy, and when asked to go, he really knuckled down, hit the line nicely,” said Grace.
Heat 4
It was the Jones name in the winners circle again, this time Grace’s brother Malcom, who partnered the Adrian Duggan-trained Zeus Immortal to a 1.2m win in 2:00.8s, and was another winner to utilise the sprint lane to score.
“We were able to drop in behind the leader early, in a slow tempo and use the sprint lane where he hit the line good,” Malcolm said.
Final Points
Brodie Davis 43, Grace Jones 41, Ethan Arnott 38, Kayleb Williams 33, Malcom Jones 30, Bronte Miller 23, Tarn Ford and Jacob Duggan 22, Charlie Castles 20 and Jack Watson 17.
Meanwhile, north-west coast-based owner Warren Viney was celebrating success over the weekend, when last season’s Tasmanian Two Year Old Filly Of The Year, Arrhythmia ($2.00 fav), claimed the $200,000 Group 1 New South Wales Oaks at Menangle in 1:50.0s for the mile trip, only 1.0s outside Leap To Fame’s Australasian Three Year Old record that he set in October 2022.
The filly is now being aimed at the Queensland Oaks in July.
