Welcome boost among SA driving ranks

SOUTH Australia’s professional driving ranks are poised to receive a welcome boost.

Having recently purchased respected transport business Bagnato Horse Transport, multiple Group One winning reinsman Zac Phillips is set to make regular trips between his Melton base and Adelaide.

As such Phillips plans to utilise his time in the ‘City of Churches’ to compete at Globe Derby on Saturday nights.

Phillips will make his debut as a quasi-local tonight, with drives in six of the seven races on the card.

“Tayla (Nicholson, fiancé) and I have purchased the transport business which means I’ll be spending a fair bit of time crossing the border between Victoria and South Australia,” Phillips said.

“While I’m over there I’ll be available to drive in races at Globe Derby as well.”

Along with picking up several drives for leading trainer Shane Loone and another for Luke O’Neill, Phillips is set to partner quality free-for-aller, Wrangler.

Prepared by highly-successful horseman Paul Cavallaro, Wrangler equalled the 1800-metre track record during a trial earlier this week.

“I’ve been fortune enough to already get close to a full book of drives for tonight,” Phillips said. “Most are roughies, but it will be great to be out there at Globe Derby.

“If Wrangler goes anything like he did on Monday it’s fair to say they won’t catch him.”