THEY say you never forgot your first win.
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And while it might only have been little over a month ago for Jordan Leedham, the emerging young reinsman was given another reminder of it when he added another victory aboard the same horse at Shepparton on Thursday night.
The 17-year-old produced one of his best and certainly most confident drives to score a convincing 7.3m win aboard the Ellen Tormey-trained Shaq.
A sixth career win for the Mach Three gelding coincided with a fifth for his young driver, who has the neat average of two wins from four starts on the promising three-year-old.
Leedham, who is employed by Kate Hargreaves and Alex Ashwood at their Shelbourne stable, is clearly relishing all of his first few months in the sulky, his growing affiliation with the Tormeys - father John and daughter Ellen - and of course Shaq.
"He's a handy horse - he does what he has to," he said.
"He gave me my first win as a driver, so it's always nice to get back on him and get another one.
"He's been good to me. So have John and Ellen (Tormey). They've been putting me on their horses when they need the concession claim, which I'm very appreciative of."
Just as pleased for Leedham was his bosses, even though a win for Shaq meant the Hargreaves-trained Constantina, had to settle for second.
"Kate and Alex are happy with me - I'm not in the bad books or anything, so that's alright," he said with a laugh.
"Shaq is always thereabouts - he's always hitting the line strong, and when he finds the front, he's always hard to get past.
"He's nominated for another race next week (Tuesday) at Shepp. I'm hoping we can draw the front and find the front again.
"If he can be thereabouts again, we'll all be happy."
Since registering his maiden win on Shaq on August 5, Leedham has quickly moved to five winners.
Two of those wins come aboard the John Tormey-trained Hancocks Hero, who went back-to-back at Chalton and Echuca last month.
Leedham will have a chance to add another when he partners Hancocks Hero on the four-year-old gelding's home track at Charlton on Monday.
The teenager also won on the Hargreaves and Ashwood-trained Jilliby Roy at Bendigo's Lord's Raceway on August 12.
Shaq was the second of two winners this week for Tormey following her success with recent stable acquisition Fetch It at Maryborough on Monday.
The former Michael Mannix-trained gelding broke through for his maiden win at start number 36, giving Tormey her 17th training success of the season.
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