RQ pays tribute to Gavin Lang

Racing Queensland has joined the chorus of those paying tribute to legendary trainer and driver Gavin Lang who lost his long-fought battle with cancer yesterday.

A giant in Australasian harness racing ranks, Lang won almost $50 million in stakes during an incredible career as he amassed 6303 victories - second only to Chris Alford on the all-time list – including some of Queensland’s biggest features.

In 2016, Lang famously steered Hectorjayjay, who was recently brought out of retirement, to a seemingly impossible victory in the Group 2 Sunshine Sprint.

Sitting five-wide with 400m to run, Lang had the entire field bar one in front of him before unleashing the bay gelding with a withering run that needed to be seen to be believed.

Having won his first Queensland feature last century with Floreat in the 1992 2YO Australian Gold Final, Lang went on to claim a raft of victories including the 2000 Sunshine Sprint and Winter Cup with Persistency and the 2015 Blacks A Fake with Philadelphia Man.

Revered for his genius on both sides of the Tasman, Lang’s fight with a rare type of lymphoma ended yesterday at age 61.

“When you think of Australian harness racing you naturally think of Gavin Lang,” RQ CEO Brendan Parnell said.

“His feats in and out of the sulky are legendary and the bigger the race, the better he seemed to perform.

“Collectively, we all hoped Gavin’s biggest win would happen away from the track and our condolences are extend to his family and friends.

“His feats will never be forgotten.”

The ‘Ice Man’ registered his first win as a trots driver on Pensive Dream in 1975 and would drive Tell Me Tales to his 6000th victory some 32 years later.

Along the way he won 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.

Racing Queensland extends its condolences to Gavin Lang’s family, friends and many fans.