3 August 2016
ASHLEA BRENNAN
@ashbrennanphoto
THREE states and three winners - that is one night Group One winning trainer-driver David Aiken will never forget.
One July 9, 2016, in Queensland Gavin Lang drove Hector Jay Jay to victory in the Group Two Sunshine Sprint, in New South Wales Todd McCarthy sailed over the line to win behind the veteran Composed and in Victoria David Moran completed Aiken’s three-state trifecta with Quick Draft, a race that David also trained the quinella with Beach shack.
Introduced into the racing industry by his family and admiring his father as his biggest inspiration, David left home at the age of 16 and ventured across the Tasman to work for the late Delvin Rickaby in Christchurch for 14 months before heading to America to complete a farrier course.
The then 18-year-old stayed in America for just over three years, shoeing horses and gaining experience from trainer Brian Pelling before returning to Bankstown, NSW, in 1981.
David trained out of Badgerys Creek for his father and then decided to set up his own training establishment at Condell Park after the Badgerys Creek property was sold, he continued to train from here for 15 years where he and his wife Colleen, of 32 years, had their children David, Josh and Rebecca.
On January 6, 1989, David trained six metropolitan winners, five of which he drove, at Harold Park.
Among the winners were Kiwi Fella, Prasutaquo, Sunshine Forever, Genuine Gadget, Kama Fella and Shadow’s Double.
Although David had trained multiple winners on various occasions, he claims this night as a special one and one the camp will never forget.
In 1994 David became a dual-code trainer, training three thoroughbreds with friends as a hobby.
David trained River Khan, Simply Sydney and Celio all to victory at Canterbury before he moved to Avenel in 1996.
Twenty years later the Aiken camp have trained 59 Group winners (19 Group Ones) including the 2015 Inter Dominion
David has trained a winner in every state except Tasmania where he placed second in the Tasmanian Pacing Championship with Ultra Jet.
In 2015 dreams came true for the Aiken stable when the favourite Lennytheshark won the Inter Dominion Final.
On Sunday December 13 the camp returned to Gloucester Park, their gun seven-year-old pacer by Four Starzzz Shark was presented in immaculate condition and walked around with a spring in his step prior to the race.
The day was hot, the emotions were high both from the camp and the crowd and the atmosphere was surreal.
Already having won the first race with stablemate Cold Major driven by son Josh, David went into the Final with hope.
With their hearts in their mouths and hand-in-hand, the roar from the crowd grew stronger as the gates flew back.
Sitting in the breeze the entire race, outside last-start winner and rival Lovers Delight, Lenny loomed up strongly on the home bend and sailed past Lovers Delight to give the Aikens their greatest win to date.
With three Premierships in NSW and one in Victoria and 12,557 starters as a trainer, the Aiken camp currently have 25 horses being trained out of Victoria and eight in Sydney, located at the Menangle Park Training Centre.
With the strong structure and dynamic created by his staff and co-trainer/son Josh, the team hope to take out many more Premierships in years to come.
Best trainer: Emma Stewart, Luke McCarthy and Andy Gath
Best horse trained: Lennytheshark
Favourite food: Steak
Best looking person in Harness Racing: Lovins (David S. Aiken)
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 33 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by an industry-appointed Board of Directors and is independent of Government.
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