Larsen Gets First Win

Bruce Stewart Contributor

“It was good to get the monkey off the back,” was the comment from junior driver Tristan Larsen after he drove Duke Of Dundee to win at Ascot Park today.

Tristan Larsen after his first win

Trained by Larsen’s father Kirk at Branxholme the four year old gelding was given the perfect trip behind pacemaker Iwanadancewitsumbody. On straightening, Tristan drove Duke Of Dundee up the passing lane, beating Vin Scully by three and three quarter lengths.

“It was pretty good to do it for Dad and long-time owner Gordon Smith who’s had a lot of horses with us, so it’s pretty cool.”

Tristan Larsen and Duke Of Dundee

First win and back to the birdcage

Larsen has spent all of his life around horses but didn’t have plans to make it them his career.

“Not early on. I was a typical boy and liked rugby and mates. Then I came of age, went to the races a bit more and got a love for it.”

He drove in the Kidz Kartz programme for a season and then progressed to ‘big horses’ when he drove Auckland Cup winner Howard Bromac at home.

“When he was a pacemaker Dad let me have a sit behind him so that was a pretty good start.”

Larsen works for his father for two hours in the morning then heads to Brett Gray’s Ryal Bush stable before returning to his Dad’s stable to help feed up.

“It’s really good to be attached to two stables driving wise as you get more opportunities.”

Later in the programme Dad Kirk produced another winner when the royally bred Forsure beat favourite American Eryetime by half a length.

Forsure and Kirk Larsen

The Art Major three year old is out of the eighteen win Washington VC mare Foreal and is owned by Shona and Syd Brown.