TALENTED novice reinsman Ben Rossendell has come a long way in a short space of time and his wins at both ends of the state last weekend were testament to the raps that have been placed on the likeable young driver.
Rossendell partnered Diamonds Are Magic to a convincing win in the TPC Members Pace on Monday night and the night before he landed the money aboard Whodareswins for the state’s reigning premier trainer Grant Hodges.
Whodareswins was his first drive for the Hodges stable and emerging triumphant has done his career no harm, especially as it was heavily backed to start the $2.90 favourite.
The five-year-old mare only won by a head from dead-heaters Little Elf and Willie Winalot and while the Launceston win was by a narrow margin it was the reverse in Hobart the following night.
Diamonds Are Magic was sent around as the $2.20 favourite despite drawing the outside of the second row.
Rossendell, 22, drove the four-year-old as if he was the best horse in the race by sending him around the field 1500m from home to eventually face the breeze outside of leader
Rainbow Of Colours.
Rossendell waited until nearing the top of the home straight before releasing the brakes and when he did give his charge more rein he responded magnificently.
Diamonds Are Magic burst clear and went on to defeat the well-backed He’s No Saint ($2.40) by just over seven metres with outsider Terror Jones coming from near last on the home turn to be almost two metres astern.
Listen to what junior driver Ben Rossendell had to say about his two winners – click here.