Jason Lee has enjoyed reflecting on his achievements across the past decade or so in the sulky, but is quick to pass credit to others after becoming the newest member of the 1000-winner club.
The 27-year-old reinsman clocked up the milestone with victory aboard Keayang Cedric at Hamilton on Monday, a special result given the horse was bred by the late Tony Chisholm.
Lee said Chisholm had been a close friend of the family before his passing.
“It was fitting that I was able to win the 1000th race on a horse that he bred. He was a really good fella to us,” Lee said.
“I’m really lucky. I’d be nowhere without the support of the family.
“I’ve been given a start with the family - with Mum and Dad, my uncles and brothers and cousins, but obviously that snowballed.
“Because you got opportunities getting to drive nice horses as a kid, then outside opportunities came and I probably reckon the claim worked a little more in my favour back then the way it was set up.”
Lee said he was destined to be a driver due to his early love for harness racing, animals and the family farm.
“I did the pony trots and always wanted to be a driver,” Lee said.
“I probably worried whether I’d be able to go anywhere near making it because I used to get pretty nervous just watching our horses, but I’m a lot better driving them than I am watching them.”
Lee claimed victory with his first drive – behind Jilliby Dasher at Maryborough on September 9, 2011 – and has continued to thrive in the sport he adores.
His current tally of 1001 winners has come from just 4844 drives – a strike rate of better than 20 per cent – and includes 16 Group 1 triumphs, the best of those according to the man himself being Jilliby Jitterbug’s 2YO Fillies APG success in 2015, Jilliby Kung Fu’s Chariots of Fire victory in 2018 and Jilliby Nitro’s 2YO Colts and Geldings APG win in Queensland during 2019.
The ultra-talented but injury-plagued Lumineer has been Lee’s most prolific horse with 14 racetrack wins, while Bad Billy, Jilliby Chevy and Keayang Livana all rate highly on 13.
“Nana was still around when Jilliby Jitterbug won and she got to see me drive my first Group 1 winner,” Lee said.
“And if you go back to it all, without Nana and Pop nothing would be what it is here today.”
So with so much already achieved, what’s in store for the man they call “The Rock Star”?
“I’m pretty busy on our dairy farms and with all the other stuff we’ve got going on with contracting business and all that, but I’m more than happy to still put the driving very high up and drive plenty of winners,” he said.
“But I’d probably rather drive some really quality winners over quantity.”