Harness racing: Champion driver James Herbertson to ponder future after Greg Sugars’ passing

Australia’s premier driver James Herbertson will give himself time to reset and consider where his future may be following the death of Greg Sugars.

James Herbertson (second from right) with Jess Tubbs (second left) at Greg Sugars’ memorial service. Picture: Stuart McCormick

Australia’s premier driver James Herbertson flew back to the US on Tuesday a shattered man and with a huge career decision to make.

Herbertson, 24, spoke glowingly and straight from the heart about his great mate Greg Sugars at Monday’s memorial service for the champion driver, who died on April 26.

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“Greg was another father, a mentor and idol … Greg, you’ll never know the pedestal I had you on,” Herbertson said.

Herbertson had earlier jetted back from a working holiday in the US soon after Sugars’ shock passing.

“I couldn’t stay in the US then. I wasn’t in the right headspace to stay and had to get back to support Jess,” he said.

“Now my whole world has changed and will never be the same.

“I’m going back to finish what I started in the US. It’s a chance to reset.

“To be honest, I wasn’t planning on staying that long in Australia once I finished this trip, but there is so much more to consider now.

“Jess (Tubbs) will need a worker and a driver … we’ve all got a lot of thinking to do.”

Herbertson will spend a week back in New Jersey then travel to Stockholm during the iconic Elitlopp carnival later this month.

“I’ll have a week or 10 days working in a stable there and then Ewa (Justice, girlfriend) and I will have some actual holiday time in Poland and maybe another place or two.

“We don’t have a fixed return date. I don’t feel like putting a time on things right now, I want to play it by ear.”

James Herbertson says he has a lot of thinking to do regarding his future. Picture: Stuart McCormick

Herbertson drove four of the 10 winners at Melton last Saturday night, including two for Tubbs (Illawong Larajay and No Money No Honey).

Tubbs has a big and impressive team of horses in work under the Larajay Farms brand she and Sugars built so quickly and successfully.

Following the huge success of Kiwi Dexter Dunn and Aussie brothers Andy and Todd McCarthy, Herbertson has the credentials to become a driver in demand should he make the US home.

Despite already spending a couple of weeks in the US, Herbertson still holds a 20-win lead (with 106 wins) in this season’s Australian Drivers’ Premiership over Queenslander Pete McMullen.

Herbertson stamped his emergence on a national level when he dominated last year’s premiership, finishing the season with 370 wins, 93 clear of runner-up McMullen.

* Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp

Originally published as Harness racing: Champion driver James Herbertson to ponder future after Greg Sugars’ passing