Chris Lang Jnr is ready to end his five-year break

A well-known name in Victorian harness racing is set to make his long-awaited return to the sulky.

12-time Group 1 winner Chris Lang Jnr has not competed in horse racing in Victoria since his winning race on Betty Hall at Maryborough in August 2019, but that dry spell is likely to end when he races a horse he trains in Bendigo later this month.

The 38-year-old has remained involved in the sport despite his absence from racing by breeding and breaking Standardbreds and says that an Angus Hall mare he is training with his wife Haley gave him the impetus to start competing again.

“This one (Sassy Galleon) was passed on at the sale and I really liked her, so I thought I would just train her myself as a hobby. And now here we are,” said Lang, of Grenville.

“I will test her again if everything goes to plan and my aim is to compete in Bendigo on the 24th.^th this month.”

Lang told thetrots.com.au that he had completed 13 of the 15 test drives required to reinstate his licence.

“Trials is like riding a bike. People let you in, you have plenty of space… I know I’m not getting any favours when I go out at the races,” he said.

“I hope she’s good enough to make the Vicbred Final and the Breeders Crown. So those are the races I’m looking forward to a little more.

“It will be good to get out there, clear my head and hopefully not pull the wrong reins.”

Lang said he was open to being driven by other trainers as he sought to re-establish himself in Victorian harness racing.

“If I could get some drives, I would be happy,” he said.

“I don’t have a set plan, I’ll just see where it takes me, I guess.”

During his illustrious career in the sulky, Lang rode more than 300 winners between 2003 and 2019. He guided Let Me Thru to victory in the final of the 2011 Australasian Trotting Championship and to five Group 1 triumphs with the son of Muscles Yankee, and also guided stars such as Shes An Image, Miss Warbucks, Miss Bullion and Skyvalley to success at the highest level.

Lang has also trained 32 winners, including the Group 1 triumph with Miss Warbucks in the 2011 Trotters Mile at Menangle.

from Tim O’Connor, for HRV