Nick Beale has choked back tears while reflecting on those that were unable to be trackside for his breakthrough success in the sulky on Thursday night.
The 24-year-old partnered David Miles-trained Priddy Sublime to an all-the-way victory at Kilmore in what was his very first race as a driver.
Beale said it was a special moment in his harness racing career, which already includes six winners as a trainer.
“It’s something I still can’t put into words,” he said.
“I honestly have no idea what I felt at the time. I think my brain stopped working about half-way down the straight…
“I honestly think I was in the grandstand 100m from home watching the race. It was amazing.
“Really close to the line, when she started to fight them all off and started to establish a bit of a margin in that last 50m, I started to think about everyone that wasn’t there. And that got a bit emotional.
“Everyone who knows me knows how much my grandfather meant to me. He was my best mate as a kid. He passed away in 2009. He’s seen nothing of the person I’ve become.
“He didn’t get to see me even jog a horse or lead a horse. He didn’t get to see me do anything.”
“Not having him there - that was really hard.
“I’ve got family in Queensland that couldn’t obviously be there and family everywhere. They’re always ringing and texting, and they always show their support every time I have a horse in a race.
“For them to support me and follow me, but to not be there… that was hard.”
Beale said he felt a strong sense of confidence on Thursday night, despite it being his first race drive.
“The confidence in the horse was there, the confidence in David having her right. Her runs at Ballarat and Shepparton, they gave me a lot of confidence,” he said.
“Once I found the front, I was very confident in the horse and I just tried being as kind as I could to her up the lane – making her feel as bulletproof as possible – because that’s when she goes at her best.”
Beale has some family history in harness racing, but has worked hard from a young age to establish his own name in the sport he loves.
He has spent time with conditioners such as Ron Francis, Mark Peace, Craig Turnbull and Miles, as well as thoroughbred trainer Henry Dwyer.
Just recently, Beale set up camp at the Cranbourne Harness Racing Club training centre, where he prepares a small team of horses.
His first winner was Wecan Jump Puddles in October 2019 and five more have followed, including the much-loved Argh Me Hearty, who sadly passed away after a track incident last week.
“I’d trade everything in my career to have that horse back,” Beale said.
“She wasn’t just a horse… she was something different. The way she was able to pick me up through anything…”