By Duane Ranger
He stands at just over 6 foot 2 inches… plays in the engine room of his rugby team, and can sprint the 100m and 400m in 11.45 and 52.4 seconds respectively.
But this week 16-year-old Luke Thirgood has achieved milestones in a different sport – a sport he absolutely loves and one he has pursued since his Primary School days.
The Year 11 St Patrick’s College student has been a harness racing driver for seven months. Up until Wednesday night (April 8) he had amassed 29 drives for two placings.
At just on 6.25pm he drove the Greg Franklin-trained Stormtide to a 3.8m Redcliffe Paceway victory at lucrative $16 odds.
Fast forward 50.5 hours to Friday (April 10), Thirgood and Franklin repeated the dose with $41 outsider, Five Oclock Gerry.
“It’s been a long time coming and I was just so pleased to get that first one out of the way. There was both delight and relief, and then to do it again two days later, was a real satisfying feeling.
“I proved to myself it was no fluke, and now I can put my head down and concentrate on saluting the judge a whole lot more this year,” Thirgood said.
“It is a week I’ll never forget, and even though I love footy and athletics a lot, this will stay with me for life,” the talented Scarborough teenager said.
Thirgood said it was great to drive for a trainer, who had believed in him for four years, but said it was even more sentimental to win both races for his family.
“The Thirgood family Trust (parents Michael and Shondell) owns, Stormtide, is 9-year-old Mach Three gelding. He was Dad’s first winner as an owner way back in December 2022. He’s had several horses come and go since then, and I’m so pleased that Dad has kept him – and he’s still doing the business.
“Dad also owns Five Oclock Gerry. I thought Stormtide, who drew 10, was a good winning chance because he was dropping back in class, but ‘Gerry’ was a bit of a surprise. With the first winner I loomed up at the 300m, and it felt like wow this could be it.
Thirgood drew nine of 11 behind ‘Gerry’ and sat three-back on the markers with him. Then when he steered the 6-year-old What The Hill gelding into the one-one just before the turn. That’s when he realized he was a real winning chance.
“When he loomed up three-wide I thought we might go close here, and then got the decision right on the line (see photo). It’s a week I’ll never forget and so satisfying to win at Brisbane’s two city tracks,” Thirgood said.
But despite those two wins and working for Redcliffe-based Franklin around his school studies for the last four years, Thirgood has no intention of becoming a harness racing driver full-time, or pursuing a promising athletics career full-time.
“It will always be just a hobby to me. I want to finish my studies at St Pats, and then at the end of next year try and get a trade – perhaps an electrician, or maybe even something in the agriculture sector.
“I know how hard it is to make a dollar in harness racing, and long-term sure I’d like to still drive them, but probably only at night meetings after work,” Thirgood said.
“For now, I want to put all of my sports energies into making our First XV at school, either as a lock (4 or 5) or blind-side flanker (6),” he added.
At the age of 14 Thirgood was the Australian and Miracle Mile Mini Trotting Champion. He said he got the bug off his grandfather Keith Richards who passed away when he was eight.
“Grandad had horses and even though I was only young I still remember him. But I guess it mainly stems from Dad and latterly Greg (Franklin).
“Greg is my mentor and has been a huge help for me on my harness racing journey. He gives me a lot of honest feedback and is one of very few trainers who puts me out there on race-day. I’m so grateful for everything he does for me.
“Now it’s up to me to prove to other horsemen that I can drive. Hopefully these two wins will see me get a few more. It’s a great feeling driving against reinsmen and women I’ve always looked up to,” Thirgood said.
Thirgood has also worked for Donny Smith. He has two older siblings, Ryan and Macy.
He also paid a tribute to Lachie Manzelmann, a former trotting driver and now galloping trainer in Mackay.
“Lachie is a bit of an inspiration really. I like to phone him before my drives, because he gives me good advice. It’s great to get positive feedback from him. He’s another inspiration,” Thirgood said.
