3 minute read

Apparently good guys don’t come last, with Ashley Shepherd bringing up his first win on Tuesday, April 9 on the big stage, Gloucester Park.

Purchasing Our Musical Motion for a mere $2000 back in mid February this year, the now five-year-old mare has had 16 starts for two wins and two placings, with her maiden win just two months ago when in the care of Matt and Karen Young.

The postie by day, harness enthusiast by night, Shepherd got his start in the industry when he met Karen and Leo Wallrodt and started helping out in his spare time.

"I thought we were family, I stuck around them until I got the balls to starts helping,

"I was scared of kaz (Karen Wallrodt) and started off with little jobs; getting numbers, filling water buckets,etc."

Once he started helping out, there was no stopping him, with Ash striving to become a driver early on, making that a reality this year when he was granted his b-grade drivers licence.

Shepherd brought up the milestone first win at 17th attempt, with the win a special one with his mum on course.

With his mum holding back tears when he returned to the stables, Tuesday nights win really just highlighted what this is all about.

There were some regrets the next morning when Shephard got back home to Collie at 1am and had to be up for work at 5am, with the 24-year-old not overly too confident that there weren't some parcel mix ups delivered on Tuesday.