And now a group of racing enthusiasts with past and existing ties to the clubs is enjoying a bit more on the racetrack.

The group of mostly first-time trotting owners is experiencing plenty of thrills with Renko.

The four-year-old pacing gelding is trained at Strathfieldsaye by the state's leading trainer Julie Douglas and, last Friday night at Lord's Raceway, notched up his third win for his current owners and the fourth of his short 16-race career.

Those owners include current Mounts footballers Luke Marchesi and Jake Fitch, Strathfieldsaye's Tyler McNamara and Jordan Wilson, Ben Deacon, Heathcote District Football Netball League chairman Peter Cole and his son Fraser, who previously played with the Blues, Anthony Dennis, from Echuca, and Matt McGee, from Horsham, in partnership with Douglas stable backer Eric Anderson.

At least four of them were trackside to watch Renko, brilliantly driven by in-form Charlton teenager Abby Sanderson, score a proficient 1.3-metre win over 1650-metres on his home track.

The rousing cheers as the son of The Gold Ace, out of the mare Jewelz, charged past the winning post were hard to contain and even harder to be ignored by those on course.

Deacon, who sadly missed last Friday's win while at work at the Fosterville mine, but certainly heard about it after checking his phone at the end of his shift, said the horse was providing plenty of joy and much to talk about for his owners.

"He's done a great job so far and he's really starting to reward us. It's only onwards and upwards from here I reckon," he said.

"We bought him from New Zealand; he won his first race over there and then we purchased him. His second start was over there too.

"He's been ours the whole way along in Australia and he's won three in Oz and had six placings."

Deacon said the foray into ownership was the logical extension to the group's punting syndicate.

"There's about eight of us in the punters club, spread out all over Australia; a few in Victoria and one mate Fraser (Cole) up in Queensland.

"We won all this money and thought we'd better put it towards something.

"Obviously Peter (Cole) is wrapped up with the Julie and Glenn Douglas stable, so we purchased him through them.

"A few of them are first-time owners, but there's a couple of us who have owned thoroughbreds before.

"This one is definitely more enjoyable as you get to watch him most weeks."

While the group is content with whatever the Douglases have planned with Renko, Deacon said seeing him race at harness racing headquarters at Melton one day would be a definite aim and thrill.

His 16 career starts have so far yielded $25,778 in prizemoney.

Depending on what the future holds with Renko, Deacon hinted a further venture into harness racing ownership remained a possibility for the group.

"You never say never," he said.

In the midst of a bit of a purple patch, highlighted by the first three metro wins of her career last month, 17-year-old Sanderson could not fault Renko's performance at Lord's Raceway.

"They didn't go slow and we pulled out down the back and he definitely had to earn it," she said.

"He was a little bit keen early, but it didn't hurt to make the death horse do a little more work.

"We hoped for a bit of luck, but we didn't need luck; the horse was just good enough.

"(The stable) is going super; Julie, Glenn, Eric and everyone there has them (the horses) on song and going good.

"They are very supportive - the opportunities they have given me have been amazing."

Sanderson has driven Renko four times for a win and two placings.

Her 19-year-old brother Ryan and Ellen Tormey were in the sulky for his previous wins at Shepparton on July 21 and Charlton (June 20).

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