The Victorian concession driver Ryan Backhouse puts on the demanding farms to pursue his belt racing goals – and his outstanding performance in Mildura last Friday (May 2) was another substantial step forward.
The 19-year-old freelance grabic drove five winners at the meeting and repeated a career highlight, which he reached on the same route for the first time on December 12, 2023.
“It wasn't the first time I drove five, but it was still a great day,” said Backhouse.
“And this time it was also quite satisfactory for many different coaches (five different stables).”
Backhouse comes from Tasmania and moved to Victoria at the beginning of last year to work full-time for the coaching driver Aaron Dunn in Horsham.
With almost weekly meetings in Mildura, 300 kilometers north, he became regular-and the results speak for himself.
“I usually get a full book with drives, so it's always worth the trip,” he said.
“Mildura is where many drivers had their start in Victoria – people like Alby (Alex Ashwood) and Jack (Laugher). You get good opportunities and it helps to build your name.”
But the commitment is real.
“It is about three and a half hours from Aaron's space. If Aaron's away trips racing in between, it can be a long day,” said Backhouse.
“A meeting at the beginning of this year I was at 3 a.m. to feed the horses and work, drive to Mildura, to go all day and to get home around 11 p.m.
Backhouse has now driven 140 winners (with a credible profit rate of 13 percent), and the workload at home – with more than 20 horses at work – is shared with his father Paul, who joined the team at the beginning of this year.
“Dad was back in Tassie, but things were a bit serene, and Aaron needed employees, so it made sense,” he said.
“We met a bit at home, but we are now doing pretty well,” he laughed.
Paul previously had a coaching license and has her own annual purchase, but her focus is firmly on the stable team.
“Papa usually stays at home and takes care of things in the race, but if we have four or five in, he also comes along.”
The couple keeps this away, while Dunn his talented mare sweetnikkilou (talented mare sweetnikkilou () fights ()Sweet Lou) in Modern South Wales. On Saturday evening (May 10th) she pulled the coveted gate in the Easfeed Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Mile der Pryde in Menangle.
In the meantime, Backhouse is traveling again – and is returning to Mildura with another full drive today (May 6th).
At the end of last year, he came to an excruciating close to a career milestone and only ended two points behind Australia's top -back several James Herbertson in the 2024 boys' gun series in Melton on Modern Year's Eve. Herbertson took out the series without a win at night and pushed the baking house by taking third place in a photo finish in the last event.
“That would have been great – winning meant a trip overseas, which I would like to do in the future,” said Backhouse.
“But at the moment I would like to establish myself in Victoria, get more drives and be on the radar of more stables. Making the trip to Mildura is the first step to take this.
“I start to pick up more trips to Melton on Saturday evening, which is great. The Douglas stable gives me some good options and there are others here and there – that's what it's about.”
Out of Terry Walk For Hartnesslink
