Cameron Hart’s most recent quartet was yet another feather in his cap.
Hart’s harness racing career has seen him travel all over the country, as well as to New Zealand. Pictured is no better example than his QLD trip to participate in the ‘HotRods’ race, where he steered ‘Just Dessy’ to victory.
The roar of the crowd at Menangle was a symphony of his success, a crescendo of cheers that followed him from the sulky to the winner’s circle. But in the quiet hours after the track lights dimmed and the last horse had been stabled, Cam Hart’s mind didn’t linger on the high-octane energy of Sydney’s premier harness racing venue. Instead, it drifted 400 kilometres south-west, to the sleepy town of Junee, where his journey began.
The memory of the Menangle quartet—four stunning wins in a single night—was fresh, but it was the familiar feeling of the Riverina soil under his boots that truly grounded him. He was a man caught between two worlds. The bright lights and big purses of the metropolitan circuit were his present, a testament to years of relentless work and natural talent. But Junee was his past, his anchor, a place where everyone knew his name not just as “the champion driver,” but as “little Cameron,” the kid who spent every spare moment at the local harness racing club, dreaming of one day making it big.
His roots were deeply embedded in the community. The Junee Harness Racing Club wasn’t just a track; it was an extension of his family. His first mentors were his parents and his uncle, Trevor White, a successful trainer in his own right who had recently celebrated his own Group 1 success (2022).
Trevor, a legend in the Riverina, had obtained his trainer and driver’s license over fifty years ago, a testament to the family’s long-standing connection to the sport. This family connection runs deep, extending to his cousin-in-law Peter McRae, who is married to Trevor’s daughter and frequently drives for the White stable, even landing a winning treble at Leeton just recently.
From them, he learned not just the mechanics of driving, but to listen to the horses, to feel their rhythm and anticipate their moves. It was a lesson he carried with him every time he settled into the sulky.
Even now, as one of the most sought-after drivers in the country, Cam made it a point to never forget where he came from. The quartet that night at Menangle was a perfect distillation of his skill and the values he had learned.
The first win came with Bella Danza, a mare with a powerful late kick. Cam had no time for patience, driving her to the lead and leaving plenty in the tank as the pair crossed the finish line. The second win, with She’s a Warrawee, was another clinic in front-running. He rated the filly perfectly, controlling the pace and holding off a late charge with a cool head. The third was a testament to raw talent, as he piloted Classic Mission to victory in a fiercely contested race, his hands gentle but firm on the reins. But the fourth win, with Caulonia Courage, was the one that truly captured the essence of his campaign. He had allowed his rival, Will Rixon, to take the lead, a tactical decision that put him in the perfect position to strike. As they came around the final bend, Cam eased his horse out and, with a final burst of courage, edged out Rixon’s pacer by a head.
“It’s an incredible atmosphere here tonight,” Hart said after the race. “To have such a great horse, I just wanted to put on a show for everyone.”
The season-long battle for the New South Wales and metropolitan drivers’ titles has been tight, with Cam, Rixon, and Robert Morris trading blows every weekend. The quartet gave him a crucial lead, a glimmer of light in the long, arduous grind of the championship campaign.
The competition was a mental marathon as much as a physical one. Rixon, a fellow young gun, had been in blistering form himself, recently notching a four-win haul at Menangle to close the gap. The friendly but fierce rivalry was a driving force, pushing both men to new heights.
Just a few weeks prior, Rixon had admitted it would be “hard to catch” Hart, but his recent performance showed he was up for the fight. Both drivers understood that while they were competing against each other, they were also pushing the sport forward.
The campaign was more than just a series of races; it was a test of endurance. Each day was a puzzle of form guides, training reports, and travel logistics. He was in constant conversation with his trainers, including the powerhouse stables of Emma Stewart and Jason Grimson, poring over every detail. The pressure was immense, but it was a pressure he had been building toward his entire life. The boy from Junee was now at the pinnacle of his sport, and he was fighting tooth and nail to stay there.
– Tully Potts
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