The passing of champion driver Greg Sugars, aged 40, has devastated the harness racing industry, which mourns a gifted reinsman, outstanding professional, and wonderful person.
Sugars passed in New South Wales over the weekend, shattering news that was felt across the globe, having been widely regarded as one of Australia’s greatest drivers after a 25-year career that boasted more than 4000 wins.
Harness Racing Victoria chairman Bernard Saundry paid tribute to the person affectionately known as “The Candyman”.
“We have lost one of harness racing’s best,” he said. “Greg was a wonderful person and an incredible ambassador for our sport.
“Our hearts go out to Jess Tubbs and the entire Sugars family. This is a devastating loss as Greg provided so much guidance and support to others in the sport.”
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Sugars was always destined for greatness. He followed his grandfather, Len, a South Australian Hall of Fame trainer, and father, Ross, a harness racing living legend, into the sport.
His first drive was as a teenager at Globe Derby on October 31, 2000, with his maiden win coming a little over a month later at the same track with Escrow.
Sugars attributed a trip to the United States in 2002 to setting him on a successful pathway. He had spent six months as an 18-year-old in America, learning from professionals who taught him “how to make it”.
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When he returned to his native South Australia, Sugars immediately packed his bags and headed to Victoria. He was duly followed by Ross, who realised that relocating was necessary to provide more opportunities for Greg and his sister, Kylie.
Sugars credited his dad Ross and brilliant late Victorian reinsman Gavin Lang with having “massive influences” on his career, regarding the latter as “the best driver I’ve seen”.
In his eighth year (2007-08) in the sulky and aged 23, Sugars cracked the barrier for 100 wins in a season for the first time, having been first past the post in 106 of his 785 starts. He would never dip below triple figures in any season since, with 2019-20 his most prolific, recording 321 wins from 1617 starts.
In 2011-12, he won the Victorian Metropolitan Drivers Premiership, saluting in 41 of his 235 starts, including steering Bellas Delight and Sushi Sushi to Breeders Crown Group 1 victories.
He would then add the Victorian State Drivers Premiership to his mantlepiece in 2014-15, amassing 253 wins from 1528 starters to win more than $2 million for his owners. His achievement saw him the only driver between 2011-12 and 2021 to unseat brilliant reinsman Chris Alford for that award.
For all that he had achieved, Sugars’ career went to a new level when he and wife/trainer Jess Tubbs introduced the Larajay Farm stable. Tubbs trained more than 600 winners from 2017-18, most driven by Sugars, including a modern great in trotter Just Believe.
In a whirlwind journey that took him across the country, to New Zealand and even Sweden for the world-renowned Elitloppet, Sugars would team with Just Believe for 29 wins, including two Inter Dominion Trotting Championship grand finals, a Great Southern Star Final, and the TAB Trot, National Trot, Rowe Cup and Dominion Trot across the Tasman.
Sugars also won the Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Grand Final with Maori Law in 2021, while his triumph in New Zealand’s 2011 Northern Derby with Sushi Sushi and Better Eclipse’s victory in the 2022 Chariots Of Fire were other treasured moments.
In all, he won 64 Group 1s in Australia and six more in New Zealand, and in February this year joined elite company when he steered the mare Festinalente to victory at Bendigo to record his 4000th Australian win as a driver. He will forever sit comfortably alongside Alford, Lang, Kerryn Manning, Daryl Douglas and John Caldow, the few Victorians to have surpassed the milestone.
His Australian record is 24,265 starts, 4028 wins, 6500 placings, and more than $38 million in earnings for connections.
Prominent horseman Craig Demmler worked closely with Sugars at the Larajay Farm training complex in Myrniong and paid tribute to his great mate.
“He was simply the most gifted all-round horseman I have seen, and I am lucky to have been at close quarters to see how he operated,” Demmler said.
“His love for the horse was freakish, he respected everybody and he, in turn, had the respect of everyone he met.”
Harness Racing Victoria sends its deepest condolences to Sugars’ wife Jess, his parents Ross and Kerry, sister Kylie, and wide group of friends and admirers.