Steph’s making her mark on and off the track

FORMER New Zealand girl, Stephanie Burley has settled into a good life in Bathurst.

It has been six years since she moved to Australia, first working for Darren Hancock for a year before relocating to the central west after meeting her partner Mitch Turnbull.

Life is good, said Burley, who apart from working an eight-horse team for Amanda Turnbull, holds down a full-time position in that city as an accountant.

“I am really enjoying life in Bathurst, even though it is a bit hectic at times. I am doing what I love and am now getting a lot more drives at the races,” said Burley.

Stephanie spent three years working with Chris and Anthony Frisby before linking up with Amanda.

“I have learned so much about training horses from a lot of very talented people,” she said

“They are all so generous with their time and it has been a bonus that I have worked in different stables as they all do things a bit differently.

“I get up early and work both mine and Amanda’s horses and then dash off to town to crunch numbers . . . it can be a bit full-on at times”.

This afternoon Burley will travel to Dubbo where she has two drives aboard handy pacers Bid For Red and Kash Us Back.

Bid For Red will contest the Sky Racing Active Pace and backs up from scoring a comfortable win at Parkes last Sunday.

After racing midfield throughout, Bid For Red was taken wide by Burley which proved to be a winning move, avoiding a scrimmage on the home turn to sweep to the lead out wide to run away for an 11-metre victory.

He finds himself in a tough field today that includes last start Dubbo winner, Yarraman Bella, Menangle placegetter, Kanena Provlima and talented three-year-old Karinya Rocco.

Kash Us Back also meets strong opposition this afternoon but the Gemma Hewitt-trained gelding has been racing very consistently at his home track of Bathurst.

Burley partnered Kash Us Back to win two starts back when he rated a slick 1.56.2

Last start he drew wide and raced at the tail of the field before working home to finish just behind the placegetters.

“Both horses I am driving today are coming up against some tough opposition, but they are both so honest,” said the young reinswoman.

 – MICHAEL DUMESNY