James Herbertson drove home from Victoria Cup night with mixed emotions.
But, once the dust settles, the 24-year-old will look back on the night as the most defining of his career so far.
And, surely, a sign of things to come.
No doubt “Herbie” would have been pondering what might have been with Mach Dan in the Victoria Cup itself.
What if stablemate Act Now hadn’t “gassed” him early?
And what if Swayzee hasn’t gone like Leap to Fame and simply crushed him.
Mach Dan himself produced a huge run, a career best run to burn at the start, through the middle and still dig deep at the finish to run a 5.9m metre third.
A Victoria Cup would have been fitting for Herbertson given his dominance of Victoria’s “nickel and dime” races and surprising lack of opportunities in our biggest events.
In an interview at the end of last year, when Herbertson had secured his second successive Victorian driving premiership, he openly talked of wanting and needing more.
“It’s been a lot of hard work to get here and the success has been great, but I need to get better. I don’t just want to be a player in more of the really big races, I think I need to,” he said.
“I don’t just want to be prolific and hardworking, I’m too competitive.
“As good as this year has been, I got a few opportunities I didn’t seize. When they come again, I have to make the most of them.”
And that’s why Herbertson should take great satisfaction from Victoria Cup night.
Sure, he didn’t win the Cup itself, but there were six Group 1 races on the card and Herbie drove in four of them.
And he won one, the $150,000 Group 1 Victoria Oaks on Coastal Babe.
That win carries serious weight.
Coastal Babe is trained by respected Kiwi horseman Steven Reid and other Kiwi trainers would have taken note.
Throw in the fact Coastal Babe was stabled with premier trainers Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin, who also gave Herbertson drives in the Victoria Cup and Derby last night, and the importance grows even more.
Herbertson is seizing his big race opportunities. It wasn’t that long ago he couldn’t get a look in with the Stewart and Tonkin stable.
He is taking the next step, all while driving more “bread and butter” winners than ever before. He is more than 50 wins clear of Queenslander Pete McMullen in the national premiership.
Herbertson is 110 wins ahead of Chris Alford on the Victorian premiership and only six behind Greg Sugars on the metro (Melton) table.
At the time of that interview late last year, Herbertson had won four Group 1 races – all on trotters.
He’s added another two Group 1’s, both on pacers since. The first was Heza Punk Rocker in the Vicbred 4YO final on September 14 and then Coastal Babe last Saturday night.
The other “win” of the night came with confirmation Herbertson had been chosen to represent Australia in a trip to France later this month.
He leaves on November 21, will drive in the International Race at the famed Vincennes track in Paris on November 28 and get the chance to work horses with Hall of Famer Jean-Michel Bazire at his team at Grosbois training centre near Paris.
Herbie will still want more. He’s a competitive beast with his share of health challenges, which sparks a clock ticking in his head.
He’s hungry and in a rush.
But this is still a time to pause, reflect, be proud … and then steel himself for the big races ahead, especially early next year.