Genetics can be an unpredictable study but they ran true to form in the case of siblings Ashley and Cameron Hart. The brother and sister duo are the only children of Mark and Michelle Hart and grew up in the Riverina township of Junee, a veritable harness racing stronghold.
Michelle is a niece of the late Allan Harpley, a highly successful horseman who drove the brilliant Welcome Advice in many major wins including two heats and the Grand Final of the 1972 Inter Dominion Championship at Albion Park. The “Junee Jet” retired in 1974 with a cracking record of 49 wins from 125 starts and $176,000 in prize money - a tidy sum in the 1970’s.
Welcome Advice was trained by veteran George Harpley, great grandfather to Ashley and Cameron Hart. Michelle is a first cousin to accomplished Junee trainer Bruce Harpley who’s competed successfully at the top level for many years. The most significant link in the chain is Michelle’s brother Trevor White, a renowned Riverina horseman who has had a significant presence in the lives of the Hart siblings.
“Uncle Trevor deserves much of the credit for any success that Cameron and I have achieved,” said Ashley. “He’s a great tutor and gave us as much time as we needed. He taught us all the finer points of training and caring for the harness horse. We’re blessed to have had his guidance all the way through.”
Ash puts the finishing touches on Tact Maggie minutes before driving her first Menangle Saturday night winner - courtesy Club Menangle.
Ashley’s love of the game blossomed during her long association with the popular “pony trot” movement. She competed on Riverina tracks from six to fifteen years of age winning a truckload of ribbons and trophies. “I had a super little pony mare called Gunnadoit who won a stack of races and taught me the art of keeping out of trouble in a field,” said Ashley.
Ashley was nineteen years old when she successfully applied for a job with Noel Morris who was training a team of horses for the Sloys Company Pty Ltd at Cobbitty. After six months she decided to move on when a position came up with the McCarthy operation a short distance away.
She got her twenty mandatory trial drives out of the way in town, but decided to head home to the Riverina to make her race debut. “It was exactly three years ago and thanks to two uncles I finished up with four drives - two for Trevor White, and two for Terry Judd who’s married to Mum’s sister,” explained Ashley. “Unlike my brother whose first drive was a winner, I failed to figure with any of my four drives.”
Ashley didn’t have to wait long for her magic moment to materialise. Three weeks later she drove a patient race to win a C4/C6 event on Sams Cam at Penrith. “I got going from midfield at the 600m and was thrilled when he stormed home to win for trainer Michael Xuereb,” she said. “Michael left me on the horse two weeks later at Bathurst, and Sam got the job done again. I’ll never forget him.”
That first win on Sams Cam was pretty special but this one was better. Ash seen here in full flight on Tact Maggie - her first Saturday night Menangle winner - courtesy Club Menangle.
Ash was destined to spend the next two and a half years at the McCarthy property. “My first winner for Craig Cross was Sparkling Tachyon at Newcastle,” she recalled. “I drove a total of eighteen winners in my two and a half years with the stable.”
The next adventure provided a thrilling experience for young Hart. She responded to a call from Andy and Kate Gath in Victoria who were looking for an experienced person for a six months stint in their busy stable. Not only did she enjoy every minute of her southern sojourn, but it led to her one and only Group 1 involvement.
Andy Gath elected to send a colt called Night Spirit to Adelaide for the heat and final of the $100,000 “The Allwood” two year old series. On the night of the heats Kate elected to stay at Melton where the stable had multiple runners. “I was gobsmacked when Andy told me he wanted to fly me to Adelaide to drive Night Spirit in the qualifier,” recalled Ashley. “Despite being as nervous as a kitten, I thought I did a reasonable job to go under by a head which got him into the final.”
History repeated itself the following week when Kate again elected to stay home for Melton commitments and Ashley was suddenly in the Gr 1 final. After striking some backwash from a galloper early in the race, Night Spirit ran home well to get second to the Emma Stewart trained Pandering. “I wouldn’t have beaten Pandering who won by 12.5 metres but I probably should have finished closer. It was a tremendous experience.”
During her brief stay in Victoria Ashley was thrilled to drive a couple of winners for the powerful Emma Stewart stable. She scored on Frankincense at Maryborough and She’s Fine at Ballarat - a great experience and indelible memories.
A recent Menangle win on Dracarys for the Craig Cross stable - courtesy Club Menangle.
Despite the adrenaline rush generated by her interstate exploits, Ashley unequivocally declares that her eleven drives on the veteran Beetson gave her the biggest buzz. “He’s such an old marvel and I was a fan long before I got to drive him,” she said. “He’s still going strong at thirteen years of age. What a thrill it was to win a race on him at Bathurst late last year - one of his 45 wins.”
On returning to NSW the enthusiastic young lady grabbed the opportunity to work with the highly respected horseman Noel Daley, who was training a team of horses exclusively for leviathan owner Emilio Rosati. Daley is an Australian by birth but had enjoyed tremendous success in the USA over a period of thirty years. “Noel’s a great horseman and the time I spent with him was invaluable,” said Ash. “
In an amazing turnaround Daley has returned to New Jersey after less than a year in his native Australia. He said he wasn’t able to get American harness racing out of his system and is going all out to regenerate his training career in the US.
Winners are grinners! Back to the winners circle on Chevrons Reward - courtesy Club Menangle.
Ashley Hart is now happily entrenched in the Menangle stables of expat Kiwi horseman Anthony Butt who’s training some forty five horses for Emilio Rosati. “We’ve got a great team of people and some beautiful stock to work with,” she said. “I’m looking forward to some of the younger horses getting to the races.”
Ash is three years older than brother Cam and has taken over where Michelle left off some time ago. The siblings share a house in the Macarthur region and get along famously. “We’ve always been mates and I can honestly say I can’t remember ever having had a serious disagreement.”
Cameron Hart’s career as a professional race driver has taken off in spectacular fashion since he moved to the metropolitan area. He finished third on the NSW junior premiership in 2017/2018 with 71 winners showing a maturity beyond his years.
His 95 wins in 2018/2019 saw him win the junior title and finish 5th on the overall state premiership. In the season just concluded he drove 104 winners in the state, but had to be content with third placing behind Newcastle “whiz kids” Tom Ison and Blake Hughes on the junior ladder. The three youngsters finished 4th, 5th and 7th respectively on the overall state driver’s premiership.
Earlier this year Cameron represented his country in the Australasian Young Driver’s Championship in NZ, finishing a creditable second on the points score table.
One of Ashley’s two Menangle wins on Chevrons Reward for the Clayton Harmey stable - courtesy Club Menangle.
While her kid brother has been attending to all this high profile stuff, Ashley Hart has been quietly making a name for herself on a range of tracks around the state. Her 30 wins for 2019/2020 propelled her into second place on the NSW female driver’s premiership ladder behind the experienced Amanda Turnbull. The new season beckons for the young lady with the blueblood trotting pedigree.
Thanks to the reach of Sky 1’s harness racing coverage, Trevor White back in Junee is able to monitor the progress of his two star pupils. You can bet Trev is one proud uncle.
Ash was thrilled to win a race for the leading stable - courtesy Club Menangle.
(Banner image - Ashley with her NSW Junior Driver Encouragement Award 2017/2018 - courtesy Club Menangle.)