There’s no better pointer for punters than a Darren Hancock trained horse turning up at Penrith. The leading horseman has been an unabashed fan of the 1400m Menangle circuit since its inception in 2008, and races his horses there almost exclusively. However, on the odd occasion when one of the team is finding the pace a bit hot at headquarters, he’ll look for the right race at Penrith. “I’ll switch to the half mile track only if I’ve got the right horse,” said Darren. “By that I mean a horse with plenty of gate speed and one that can handle the tighter turns.”
These were the reasons Hellofalass took her place in the opening race at Penrith on Thursday night. The mare had been placed only once in her previous eight starts at Menangle in mile rates of 1.54 and “change” and was clearly in need of a downgrade. The daughter of All Speed Hanover led easily from gate 2 and paced perfectly around the first turn for driver David Morris. She relished the smaller circuit as she peeled off quarters of 29.3, 30.3, 28.6 and 28.8 to win comfortably in 1.56.4 - a time that wouldn’t get her into the money at Menangle. The most surprising feature of the win was the $18.00 on offer at post time.
It was the fourth time Hellofalass has won when switched to Penrith. “She has won two at Menangle in easier grade, one at Bankstown, one at Goulburn and I slipped her to Kilmore on another occasion where she won a 3YO Vic Bred race,’ said Darren.” Add twenty four placings to her CV and you can see why she’s won $84,000. “Hellofalass proves you should never look a gift horse in the mouth. She was given to my mother Carmel as a foal by Victorian breeder Graham Taylor, a family friend. My dad Richard actually picked her out of the paddock when visiting Graham’s property one day. She’s no star, but good manners and a genuine attitude have helped her build a nice record.”
Despite her liking for Penrith, Hellofalass has won a couple of races at Menangle. Here she is winning on 04/10/2022 for David Morris who drives regularly for the Hancock stable - courtesy Club Menangle.
For a horseman who’s had a presence on the big stage for well over three decades, Darren Hancock keeps a low key profile these days. He rarely has more than ten horses in work at any one time, the majority of which are youngsters owned by his principal client and great mate Glenn Holland. At 53 years of age Darren is already the veteran of thirty seven years in the sport. He was just sixteen when he drove his first winner Sportsman Talk at Bankstown on December 2nd 1985. He showed poise beyond his years in getting the big gelding home from a second row draw. He had to wait some time for his first Harold Park win on Luming for Kembla trainer Dawn Scealey in November 1987.
From that point on his star rose in spectacular fashion, as he set about living up to his blueblood harness racing pedigree. His father Richard was never about winning premierships, but ranks as one of the best drivers to compete during Harold Park’s golden era. Uncle Brian Hancock’s Harold Park driving record of 800 wins was preserved for posterity when the iconic track closed its doors in 2010. Darren was able to leave his mark on the premiership lists with five driver’s titles and two as champion trainer.
Darren was 35 years old when he climbed to the top of the mountain - an Inter Dominion victory with Jofess at Gloucester Park 2004.
The younger Hancock has reached dizzy heights driving top horses from his own stable, but he’s been called upon many times to fill in for other drivers behind a long list of outstanding pacers. Perhaps the best remembered was his 1993 Truer Memorial win on Franco Tiger under sensational circumstances at Bankstown. He fired in a protest after being carried off the track by Master Musician in the run home. The protest was famously dismissed to the chagrin of Franco Tiger’s connections who took the matter all the way to the Supreme Court. It was a year before the decision was reversed.
Darren won races on elite performers like Young Mister Charles, Il Vicolo, and Christopher Vance when regular drivers became unavailable. He was especially thrilled to win a Canberra Cup and Nowra Cup on Bundanoon for his uncle Brian. “He was a gutsy old horse who battled quarter cracks for much of his career,” recalled Darren. “I was pretty chuffed when Brian asked me to drive him on those two occasions.”
Hancock the younger was privileged to fill in behind the champion Monkey King on three occasions. He drove him to victory in a heat of the 2006 NSW Pacer’s Derby at Harold Park before finishing fourth to Divisive in the final. He remembers Monkey King as a little horse with a very big engine. The popular “go to” reinsman was Harry Martin’s choice to drive his much loved Double Identity in the 2005 Queensland Pacing Championship at Albion Park. Darren had no luck in the Gr 1, but is honoured to have driven one of the most popular horses of his era.
Darren got the call to handle Kiwi star Smolda on one occasion when the horse was briefly in the care of the McCarthy stable. He angled the $1.20 favourite into a trailing position early, before zipping around them to be outside the leader at the halfway mark. Smolda won comfortably and joined Darren’s list of elite “catch drives”. Surely there isn’t a better indicator of Hancock’s talents than the fact that he was often the choice of champion horsemen whenever a substitute driver was required. Suffice to say he also got to drive some pretty useful performers from his own stable.
If pedigree counts Darren was destined to succeed in the sport. Here's a photo in the Menangle barn with father Richard (left) and Uncle Brian - courtesy Club Menangle.
Darren was in his mid twenties and starting to establish his own identity when Sovereign Hill came into his life. Already an eight time winner for another stable, the son of Vance Hanover would go on to win another seventeen races including the Australian Pacing Championship at Newcastle defeating uncle Brian’s Quantum Lobell. Darren also has fond recollections of placings in two Hunter Cups and a NZ Cup.
Kyema Kid had won twenty one races for Riverina trainer David Eurell before joining Darren’s team in 1999. He would go on to win another twelve races one of which earned him a reputation as a “giant killer”. He was at cricket score odds in the second heat of the 2000 Inter Dominion Championship at Moonee Valley. Kiwi champion Courage Under Fire was at prohibitive odds following an astonishing sequence of twenty four wins which included six Derbies. There was only one other horse under double figures. Courage looked set to extend his freakish sequence when Kyema Kid suddenly emerged from a pocket and dropped into another gear. As he headed Courage Under Fire broadcaster Dan Mielicki coined the now legendary phrase “the world must be ending.”
When Jofess entered the Darren Hancock stable in December of 2000 he’d already won fourteen races for Riverina trainer Bruce Harpley. The slow maturing horse was just starting to put it all together. He was destined to win another twenty eight races including a Victoria Cup, Newcastle Mile, Truer Memorial, Ballarat Cup and the 2004 Inter Dominion Grand Final at Gloucester Park. “He was a dream horse to train,” recalled Darren. “Great nature, wonderful attitude and beautifully gaited. He was better in front or near the lead as he proved when he led all the way in the Perth Grand Final. He was just an uncomplicated, low maintenance horse.”
Darren's all time favourite Jofess, the horse he described as a "trainer's dream" - courtesy Club Menangle.
Darren has enjoyed tremendous success in more recent years with two brilliant trotters On Thunder Road and Drop The Hammer. By a massive coincidence both are sons of super sire Bettor’s Delight and both are converted pacers. “We tried them at the pace but it was obvious they were natural trotters,” said the trainer. “On Thunder Road won a race pacing but absolutely took off when we threw the hopples away. He won thirty three races at the trot including the Gr 1 Melton Grand Prix before being sold to the USA. Drop The Hammer didn’t win as a pacer although he was placed six times. He too came into his own as a trotter. He’s currently nose and nose with a few other horses for the most number of wins at Menangle.”
It hasn’t been all beer and skittles for Drop The Hammer. Late in 2021 he was the victim of a bone spur in one knee which required surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation. More recently he presented with the worst kind of foot abscess which took many weeks to arrest. “He put on weight during his absence and is taking a bit of racing to get fit this preparation,” said Darren. “He’s just about right again and I’m looking forward to giving that Menangle record a nudge in the weeks ahead.”
Darren has driven Drop The Hammer in all but one of his many wins - courtesy Club Menangle.
Darren’s chief client is Glenn Holland whose love of harness racing runs deep and serves as an important diversion from the pressures of business. Glenn owns and operates a company which sources and provides plumbing and bathroom supplies to several local and overseas retailers including the massive Bunnings chain. Glenn is a student of breeding and an astute judge of standardbred yearlings. “Glenn knows what he’s looking at and has an important input into the programming of all horses in his ownership,” says Darren. “We’re both looking forward to the race debut of one of his yearling purchases who’ll race under the name Protagonist. He’s actually a half brother by American Ideal to Drop the Hammer. This bloke is happy to pace and has shown us plenty. He’s got speed, good manners and really wants to do it. I hope we can find a suitable lead up race before we have a crack at the Sapling Stakes next month. He’s pretty smart.”
Perhaps Darren’s decision to concentrate principally on young horses has been motivated by the fact that none of his three sons look likely to follow their father into harness racing. Brandon (21) is firmly ensconced in the electrical trade, Corey (18) is in his first year of a plumbing apprenticeship while Kye (11) is totally indifferent to horses. While surprised and slightly disappointed that none of the boys have inherited the Hancock trotting genes, Darren and his wife Bonita are more than happy to let them pursue their own dreams and aspirations.
In the meantime Darren Hancock busies himself with the task of developing the talents of the well credentialed young horses currently in his care. His eighty five year old father Richard is there every day to help out and to offer a second opinion if required. Uncle Brian, who lives less than an hour away at Shellharbour loves nothing more than calling in twice a week to lend a hand. The man they call the “Inter Dominion King” isn’t backward in jumping up behind one of his nephew’s well bred prospects.
Any devoted harness racing fan would love to be a fly on the wall when this trio sits down for morning tea. Any aspiring trainer would love to have the ear of two men whose deeds have helped shape the destiny of the sport. Darren Hancock you are one spoiled harness trainer!
Jofess was honoured by the Harold Park Committee when he returned from his Inter Dominion triumph in Perth 2004 - courtesy Club Menangle.
(Banner image - Darren and Drop The Hammer in one of 26 Menangle wins. The star trotter had 12 starts as a pacer before converting - courtesy Club Menangle.)