BENDIGO reinsman Jayden Brewin has reached a significant milestone in his young career, driving his 250th winner.
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The 20-year-old hit the 250 mark with his victory behind the James Warnock-trained Caledonian Terra at Cranbourne on Sunday night.
It was his 14th win for the 2021 harness racing season.
Brewin, formerly from South Australia, notched a good portion of his career wins back home before his arrival in Bendigo in October of 2019.
He drove 62 winners in his first full season in the sulky in 2016-17 and backed up with a career-high 86 in a season in 2017-18.
The wins have continued to mount at a steady pace in much tougher Victorian company.
Brewin's first season based in Victoria delivered 47 winners and 147 minor placings, while he has 14 winners and 35 minor placings from his 226 drives so far this season.
Brewin, who turns 21 in a couple of months, was naturally thrilled to have hit the 250-mark, which also saw him reach the end of his concession driving claim.
"I'll still have my metro claim, but my country claim is gone, which is a bit of an achievement," he said.
"I just need to kick on and keep going from here - that's all you can do."
Brewin, who has retained his metropolitan concession claim, did not expect the loss of his claim elsewhere to have much of an impact on his fortunes in the sulky.
"Most of my drives are without a claim - while the three-point claim is good, it probably didn't do too much in the way of getting me better drives.
"The three-point (claim) can only be for the draw, not to get into races, and most of the time, if they are going to put three-point claims on, they are likely better off putting five-point claims on, to not only get into an easier race, but to draw well too.
"I was probably only picking up one or two drives a week because of the claim over the last three months.
"It does help at times, but I'm sure the way things are going everything will be okay.
"I am starting to drive for a couple of better stables and have been put on a couple of better horses, so fingers crossed we keep on going."
Pleasingly, five of his winners this season have been on horses trained by his father Justin Brewin.
The Junourton-based stable has rebounded from a horror last few months of 2020, during which most of their team of horses were struck down by a bacterial infection, to record six winners and as many placings from 44 starters from February onwards.
Despite some ups and downs, Brewin views the last 18 months in Bendigo only in a positive light.
"I guess I've built up a bit of a reputation and built up a good base of people to drive for," he said.
"Hopefully things can keep progressing from here."
The milestone win for Brewin, who was stranded on 249 for a few weeks, did not come without some nerves.
After poking through on the inside, Brewin and Caledonian Terra had just enough in reserve to stave off the fast-closing Danman, who flashed home from towards the rear of the field to almost give young driver Sean O'Sullivan his second career win, only a few days after he notched his first.
"He sure came quick - all of a sudden mine has gone half to sleep and then I've looked over and seen this thing come from a mile back," he said.
"Because we were so apart on the track I had to ask (James Herbertson) if I'd won.
"But watching the replay, I won by a decent margin (1.6m). It certainly didn't feel that way out there."
Brewin will have one drive tonight (Tuesday) at Melton, partnering the Justin Brewin-trained Barbs Gift in the three-year-old maiden trot (race two).
He is further looking forward to steering the smart Brad Angove-trained trotter Sundons Courage at Tabcorp Park Melton this Saturday night.
The eight-year-old will be returning for his first start since finishing ninth behind Majestic Man in the $100,000 Group 1 Australian Trotting Grand Prix at Melton in February, with Brewin stoked to be hopping aboard the $324,865 prize money winner for the first time.
"I drove him at the trials on Sunday and he won his trial," he said.
"He's certainly got some nice races ahead of him, like the Great Southern Star, so hopefully I can do a nice job, win some races and keep the drive.
"He's someone who could put me on the map. In the trotting ranks, he's up there as one of the best.
"Brad has done a great job with him and I would say for sure he has a few more wins left in him.
"Touch wood, everything goes right."
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