THE final two heats of the BOTRA Claiming Novice Drivers championship at UBET Racing Centre in Launceston last night produced one of the most thrilling finishes in the history of the series.
Tim Yole took a slender two-point lead into the final heat from Wade Rattray with Nick Brockman third on 41 points.
But it was Hobart-based Lyarna Graham who delivered the drive of the night to win the crucial final heat aboard race favourite Strezlecki Wildone to earn maximum points (16) to finish in a tie for first with Yole on 53 points.
Graham went into the last two heats in fourth spot but when she finished well back on Barooza in heat five, winning the series looked out of her grasp.
Yole drove a heady race to secure fourth spot in the final heat and would have wrapped up the series outright in one more bound but Odins Call Girl (Lee Simmonds) edged him out of third spot.
Hobart-based driver Adrian Collins was the big mover coming from last going into last night’s final two heats on 22 points. He won the fifth heat aboard Last Guy Standing and then went within a head on Chief Destroyer in the final heat running second to finish third overall on 50 points.
Graham allowed Strezlecki Wildone to face the breeze outside of the leader Highly Persuasive while Yole had Rainbow Phoenix settled just beyond midfield at the bell.
When Graham allowed Strezlecki Wildone (Rustler Hanover-Strezlecki Lady) more rein turning for home the seven-year-old mare quickly drew clear of the leader.
But when Collins angled his charge into the clear, Chief Destroyer emerged as a genuine winning chance but under strong driving from Graham Strezlecki Wildone found enough to hold Chief Destroyer at bay over the concluding stages.