Harness racing great Gavin Lang has died, with the sport mourning the loss of a much-loved genius and gentleman.
Gavin’s fight with a rare type of lymphoma has ended at age 61, an outcome that will sadden the many family, friends and admirers that have felt his kindness and witnessed his brilliance.
His passing draws to a close a career that brought delight to many among 6303 victories, second only in the sport to Chris Alford.
Renowned for his peerless driving instincts, Gavin won owners almost $50 million in stakes across more than 32,000 starts and earned the moniker Group 1 Gav for his ability to perform on the grand stage.
Fuelling that reputation were victories in the 2007 Victoria Cup with Robin Hood, two Inter Dominion Trotting Championships and an extraordinary list of Breeders Crown, Chariots Of Fire, Australian Pacing Gold, Vicbred Super Series and New South Wales Derby triumphs.
It is a record with few peers, but Gavin’s influence stretched far beyond the winners’ circle. Harness racing was a sport he was born to dominate.
The son of fellow Caduceus Club Legend Graeme Lang, in a recent interview Gavin said he had never imagined doing anything than compete in the trots.
He would rise early in the morning before catching the bus to school and clean the boxes. When he got home it was off to the shed to “see what father had for me to do, whether it was cleaning gear or organising feed”.
He would often take days off school to go to the races to help dad, attending the showgrounds every Saturday night to “care for the horses”.
And it wouldn’t be long before he had rein in hand.
Raised among ponies and horses, from age eight he would drive with his brother Chris, saying “I was always comfortable with it, it was always fun back then. Some days it was a bit more of a chore, but I enjoyed it immensely”.
At Kilmore on June 2, 1975, Lang registered his first win as a trots driver on Pensive Dream, and some 32 years later he would drive his 6000th victory when steering Tell Me Tales to Vicbred success in another showcase win.
His was a life spent in the sulky, a skillset so fine-tuned that decisions were made with instinct and without hesitation.
“It becomes second nature to you, making moves is a reflex action,” he said. “You seldom think about it, it just comes to you. It is hard to explain why that happens. You do everything on instinct. If you have to stop and think whether to make a move, by the time you are done thinking it’s generally too late.”
He was motivated not only by success, but by those he could bring along for the ride, including the trainers and owners, many of whom he would deliver their first Group 1.
“I know only too well the time and effort people put into getting their horses to that stage. It’s pretty special when you win a race for people like that.
“Harness racing is an industry, but it is also a lifestyle. There is a lot of sacrifice, but in any industry if you strive to be the best you can be you have to be prepared to do the hard yards. I never envisaged doing anything else.”
Harness Racing Victoria extends its condolences to Gavin Lang’s family, friends and many fans.
Source The Trots