He enjoyed a fine partnership with Pride Of Petite on the pony trot circuit.

What that experience did was lay the foundation for one day joining senior ranks.

He took that step earlier this year, getting his first opportunity at professional level behind Monsieur Delacour, trained by his father Stephen Clarke, at Horsham in February.

As exciting as that was, his biggest thrill so far came at Ballarat's Bray Raceway on Friday night when he landed his first win in the sulky.

Clarke partnered the Emma Stewart-trained Struve ($5.20) in the Sinclair Meats Pace, 2200m, to bring up the special moment.

He described the experience as unbelievable.

Clarke said he was grateful to have been given the opportunity by the Stewart stable, where he had been working for little more than a month.

"I'm lost for words. It's a huge thrill."

As exciting as the victory was, it is not the biggest win he has had in his life.

He had that when he beat non-Hodgkins lymphoma - a rare cancer which threatened to his life as 14yo in 2017.

Clarke said one of his foremost thoughts in that period was to overcame the illness and become a harness racing driver.

Well again, for the youngster it is now all about the horses and making every post a winner.

Struve completed a double for Stewart, who also scored with first-starter Beyond Delight ($1.70 favourite) in the Mega Jumps 2yo Pace, 1710m.

Beyond Delight found the lead and then came out of top in a duel with the Michael Stanley-trained Drain The Swamp ($2) in a blistering mile rate of 1:54.7.

ANTON Golino, a neighbour of Stewart at Cardigan, also landed a double.

He was successful with Araignee Flair ($13.60) in the Just Copiers 3yo Trot, 2200m, and Orlando Storm ($2.50 favourite) in the Regent Entertainment Trotters' Handicap, 2200m.

Ballarat and District Trotting Club has its next meeting on Wednesday, April 28.