At just 21 years of age, Abby Sanderson is already carving out her own path in harness racing.
Growing up surrounded by the sport, Abby’s passion for harness racing was shaped by her mum Naomi, dad Shane and brother Ryan, who have all been involved in the industry.
Abby has already driven 108 winners, including feature race victories in the Mildura Cup with Dangerous and the Caduceus 3YO Classic with Catalpa Rescue.
Now, she has taken the next step in her career after recently gaining her training licence and taking over the horses previously trained by her dad, Shane, as he shifts his focus towards thoroughbred racing.
While Abby is still chasing her first winner as a trainer, she has already made an impression. Just weeks after gaining her licence, she guided Fully Reckless to a third-place finish in the Group 1 Vicbred Super Series Final for two-year-olds.
Now, Abby has her sights set on an even bigger prize.
Her next target is the Group 1 Woodlands Stud Victoria Derby with exciting colt Atua Magic on Victoria Cup night at Melton on October 17.
Abby’s passion extends beyond the track, with the young trainer also heavily involved in media and promoting the sport she loves, with a focus on bringing new people into harness racing.
Bronte Nieuwenburg caught up with Abby to chat about her journey so far, the rise of Atua Magic, what he has already achieved and her dream of winning the Victoria Derby.
