Drawing a comparison between Gavin Lang and Michelangelo may seem a fanciful proposition.
Not so when you analyse the words of a 16th century biographer who completed his work on Michelangelo, while the Renaissance genius was still alive.
Giorgio Vasari had the following to say about the iconic sculptor, painter, architect and poet. “Michelangelo’s work transcended that of any other artist living or dead.”
An unlikely analogy perhaps, but many followers of Australian harness racing expressed similar thoughts about Gavin Lang when the master horseman died last Friday (April 24th) at the Epworth Richmond medical centre in Melbourne.
Gavin’s battle with an extremely rare type of T Cell Lymphoma had been well documented, but family and friends were caught off guard when his condition deteriorated rapidly on Friday afternoon.
Throughout his celebrated career the legendary horseman was ill at ease with effusive praise. The ever humble champion would never have dealt with the tsunami of tributes which began to flow, just a few hours after his passing. Through the night and over the weekend, the feelings of harness racing mates were conveyed through social media, while commentators and journalists at home and overseas offered moving eulogies.
Expressions of shock, sadness and disbelief came from the horsemen and women who revered his talents, and the many punters who regarded him as their greatest friend - the genius who so often sneaked along the pegs on a fancied runner to snatch victory on the line.
Image courtesy Stuart McCormick - Gavin wins on the trotter Pantzup only a few weeks before his hospitalisation in October last year.
Gavin Lang had that kind of effect on people. Cool, calm, measured, intensely professional and so very good at what he did. He had that kind of effect on me early in 2007 when he agreed to drive a filly I’d taken to Melbourne for the Victoria Oaks.
The filly’s name was Yokas (NZ). She’d won a heat of the NSW Oaks at Harold Park before finishing fourth in the final when she never really got clear of a pocket. Greg Bennett had driven her in half a dozen Australian runs, but was unavailable for the brief Melbourne campaign. We were thrilled when Gavin accepted the drive.
Harness Racing Victoria took some of the major races to regional tracks in 2007. The Oaks heat was run at Bendigo, with the final at Shepparton. Yokas wasn’t the best gaited filly in the field, and could get a little rough in her hind leg action from time to time. She ran third in the heat and I recall two things Gavin said to me after the race.
“Gee she’s got a few funny steps hasn’t she?” said the maestro as he came off the track. His laconic style was evident as he climbed out of the gig. “OK that’s the heat over and done with, let’s concentrate on the final.”
Despite a perfect drive, the best Yokas could manage in that final was 5th behind Vixen Hanover, Threepence, Protokori and Jadah Rose. Quality fillies like Dilinger Girl and Lady Waratah finished back in the field. There have been few stronger crops of 3YO fillies than the one we saw in 2007.
Gavin’s 6000th win came up in July 2017, just a couple of months after Chris Alford had become the first Australasian driver to reach that astonishing milestone. When Gavin was hospitalised in October of last year his win tally stood at 6,303.
Image courtesy Stuart McCormick - A special memento of a special occasion - Gavin Lang's 6000th winning drive.
Just to put Lang’s achievement into some sort of perspective, consider the fact that he’d driven harness horses for roughly the same number of years veteran jockey Robert Thompson has been riding thoroughbreds. Robert has ridden more winners than any other jockey in Australian racing history - his current tally is upwards of 4,500.
Gavin had no knowledge of his Group 1 tally, but calculated it to be around 100. He admitted to being just a little miffed that he’d never been able to drive an Inter Dominion Pacing Grand Final winner - in much the same way George Moore regretted his failure to win a Melbourne Cup in 19 rides. Gav’s three Trotting Grand Finals were some consolation.
“Easily my best chance of winning a pacing final was on Auckland Reactor in the 2009 edition on the Gold Coast,” was Gavin’s comment in the 2018 podcast. “That’s the night the horse pulled uncontrollably with me. He beat himself and probably cost Blacks A Fake a fifth Inter Dominion.”
Image courtesy Stuart McCormick - Gavin was always a picture of concentration on the track.
The driver with the silken touch is credited with having driven more elite horses than any reinsmen in the sport’s history. He always said the great trotter True Roman was the horse to “put him on the map”. He won an astonishing 60 races on the gelding who raced for almost a decade.
He got to drive the legendary trotting mare Scotch Notch on the odd occasions when his father Graeme was unavailable. He rated her second only to Maori’s Idol as the greatest square gaiter he’d seen. He drove Persistency to 24 of 27 wins - an even greater thrill because the horse was part owned by his parents and some close friends.
There isn’t a driver on the planet who wouldn’t have “killed” to drive any one of the following horses. Gavin had the privilege to sit behind luminaries like Golden Reign, Smooth Satin, Double Identity, Hyperstat, Captain Joy, Philadelphia Man, Vanderport, Franco Tiger, Hector Jay Jay, Manifold Bay and The Sentry - with a few others that didn’t come easily to mind.
Image courtesy Club Menangle - Gavin and Robin Hood after their Victoria Cup success.
What were the chief components of the unique Gavin Lang driving style?
Most agree his incredible patience was a major attribute. He refused to be bustled by anybody or anything until he thought it was time to go.
He admitted that he drove regularly early in his career for owners who were punters and bookmakers. He said this taught him to know the form and racing characteristics of his own mounts and opposing runners. He knew he had to get it right more often than he got it wrong.
He explained that sprint lanes didn’t exist for three quarters of his driving career. He got plenty of practice in weaving and slicing out of tight spots often grabbing victory on the line. He tended to drive that way even after the introduction of sprint lanes.
Finally his innate sense of timing. He could rate a front runner to within a fraction of a second. If he was back in the field, he’d be certain to put the horse into the race at some stage - usually at exactly the right moment.
His understanding of pace was uncanny.
Image courtesy Harness Link - Kerryn Manning has always been a great Gavin Lang fan.
I spoke to Chris Lang over the weekend. The champion trainer said he was called to the hospital early on Friday afternoon when his brother developed some worrying symptoms. Chris was accompanied by his younger brother Darren, sister Michelle, Gavin’s wife Meagan, his 88 year old mother Dot, and Gavin’s daughters Danielle and Courtney. All were by his side when he peacefully slipped away.
Chris explained that his legendary father Graeme Lang is recovering from the ravages of stroke at a Bacchus Marsh nursing home, and our thoughts are with the great horseman in these sad times.
Chris tells me that Meagan has been a tower of strength for his brother throughout this six months ordeal. “Meagan was allowed to take him home for short visits between treatments, allowing him to potter wherever he chose. She even let him drive his trusty tractor for a short time on one occasion.”
The last year has been the toughest of Dot Lang’s life. This remarkable lady has had to deal with her son’s terminal illness and the failing health of her husband. Her ability to cope with such trauma at 88 is glowing testimony to the pioneer spirit of a woman of her generation.
I embarrassed the hell out of Gavin Lang in the Menangle driver’s room a few years ago. He was there to drive some horses for the Stewart/Tonkin stable, and we caught up for a chat between races. He squirmed when I casually told him he was the best driver I’d seen in 60 years at the trots.
I’ve no idea what made me say it, but I’m very pleased I did.
(Banner image courtesy Stuart McCormick - Gavin in the Stewart/Tonkin colours winning the 4yo Bonanza on Restrepo 2013.)