FACT SHEET

Horse stable are you attached to:
Murray Brown

Other stables worked at:
Tony Barron and Doug McLachlan

Have you worked in harness racing overseas?
No

When did you start driving?
At the end of the 1998/1999 season

Who has had the most influence on your career to date?
Doug McLachlan. If it wasn’t for the opportunity he gave me I wouldn’t have won the Junior Drivers Premiership.

Tony Barron has also given me a lot of opportunities and the 18 months I’ve been there has been a huge learning curve.

How many winners have you driven?
175 (End of 2010-2011 season)

Your best season – how many winners did you drive?
2003/04 - 32 winners-Winner of the NZ Junior Drivers Championship.

Best pacer driven?
Annie’s Boy (Soky’s Atom-Can Annie Go)  92-18-10-7   $189,187

Editor’s note: Kirstin drove Annie’s Boys 4 times for two minor placings.
Other drivers during the gelding's racing career were Jo Herbert, Simon Pavlovich, Mike De Filippi, Phil Williamson, Karen O’Connor, Blair Orange, Clark Barron and Jack Smolenski.

Best trotter driven?
Won five races on Pink Whizz and he was my favourite horse for a while.

Biggest race/stake won:
The biggest race stake won was driving Winnies Mac in a $13,000 race at Omakau last season.

Also Bonnie Lass (2002 Winton Businesses Cup), Merles Boy (2002 Roxburgh Cup) and Wingandaprayer (2005 Riverton Cup)

Best Southland horse you’ve seen racing:
Roman Gladiator. I haven’t been around that long but Roman Gladiator was very impressive when he was at his best.

Your current sponsor is?
Chris Peterson at Harcourt’s.

Favourite course:
Invercargill. Seem to win a few there (and it’s handy to hospital!).

Mobile or standing starts – your preference?
Mobiles. Better for the punters, not too many holdups.

Most harrowing driving experience:
Nothing really stands out in my mind. I’ve had a few tip outs but nothing too serious...touch wood. Probably breaking a rein on a pulling horse at home and just having to sit and wait for it to ease up before I could turn him into a hedge...

What race would you most like to win?
Any Group race would be fine...I’m not picky

What do you love about harness racing in Southland?
The stake increases!! And the people. I think I would be hard pressed to find a better bunch of people anywhere.

Tony has some great owners who love their horses and racing so it’s always a thrill and a privilege to be able to rein home a winner for them.

Which New Zealand driver do you most admire?
Tony Herlihy. To put it simply he is the best, he always seems to get the best out of a horse.