Race Meeting Report Thursday 18th April 2024

EL KAY GRAND GIVES JOY TO OWNER AND TRAINER

"I just like harness racing – it’s a great sport" that is how Henry Campbell summed it up after his mare El Kay Grand had a victory at Tamworth.

Campbell who is domiciled at Tamworth has El Kay Grand in the Mitch Faulkner stables who trains out of Uralla.

"She has got a nice little turn of foot but we haven’t had a good barrier draw to test her out" said Faulkner who handled the Bettors Delight USA-Kayceem Grand mare in the race.

In fact El Kay Grand had her win at the second attempt of running the Rising Star Sam Ison Pace after a fall in the first endeavour saw Ima Toastmasta with James Harding in the spider hit the track and two reinsmen in Tom Ison and Peter Missen being dislodged from their carts.

MITCH CHAPPLE DELIVERS THE GOODS

How much more can one celebrate at a harness meeting – well for Maitland’s Mitch Chapple that is easy – just keep the party rolling or should we say races.

Chapple dove his first career winning double at Tamworth – in back to back races - and also picked up The Pub sponsored Drive of the Day.

The congenial Hunter Valley reinsman guided Anna Bay Al to an impressive win before hopping straight back in the gig to keep the merriment flowing for a win with Modern Edition.

COLLINS NEAR MISS AT TAMWORTH

Paul Collins headed to the Tamworth meeting with three horses and the trainer was so close to enjoying the raptures of three wins- but instead had to be content with a win and two seconds.

For Collins – a former resident of Warialda north of Tamworth many moons ago – he enjoys the drive up the highway to do battle on the Tamworth Paceway.

"I love coming back here" said Collins

RISING STAR BRAD ELDER

Brad Elder had plenty of practice at the Tamworth meeting driving three winners before heading to Sydney to represent the Hunter Valley in the 2016 Rising Star Series.

The 18 year old was looking forward to the series alongside local Sam Ison who was set to represent the North West.

Elder had three wins at Tamworth for three different trainers.

"I don’t come up here real often but do good when we do" said Elder of his Tamworth campaign – which gave him his first winning treble at the Paceway.

Harding Harding Harding

Bobs Farm reinsman James Harding cleaned up at the Tamworth meeting driving three winners on the program.

Harding kicked home his first winner – trained by his father Geoff - when Sackheim won the Thread Effects Two and Three Year old Pace over the 1609 metres.

“He came out great at Newcastle last start and I was pretty sure he would hold them today” said Harding after the win.

NATTY STABLES HAVE A DOUBLE AT TAMWORTH

Ken Natty trained two winners at last Thursday’s Tamworth meeting having to wait for the penultimate and the last to produce the goods.

Leighmont – driven by Sam Ison – won the Hazells Farm & Fertilizers Service Pace whilst Jedi Superstar – driven by Sarah Rushbrook – took out the BMR Quarries Pace.

Ken Natty owns and trains both the pacers and works them on the Tamworth Paceway with a small team of only three in work.

"Leighmont raced true to his form" said Natty "when Sam pulled the horse out and let him run he did the job real good"

MY POPPA PROVES A HANDY PURCHASE
My Poppa had an all the way win in taking out the Tamworth Trophy Supplies Pace last Thursday at Tamworth and it was only by chance the six year old gelding gained a start as he was the first emergency.
“He has got some gate speed – he was emergency so lucky he got the run” said part owner and trainer Aaron Garaty who also handled the driving in the 1609 metre event.

HIGH ON DREAMS DEFIES HIS TRAINER FOR SECOND WIN

The win of High On Dreams in the Changeover and Live Or Die Droughtbreaker Mile Final at Tamworth last Thursday was somewhat of a surprise for trainer Dean Germon.

"He won’t win another race" – well that was the light hearted reaction of Dean Germon when High On Dreams cracked his maiden status with an all the way win at Inverell the week prior at race start 69.

Roll forward four days after the eight year old gelding’s first career win and High On Dreams wraps up the Final at Tamworth.

Droughtbreaker for The Matrix at Tamworth 
For Bathurst trainer Nathan Hurst the win of The Matrix in the second heat the Live or Die Droughtbreaker Mile Heat 2 also heralded a winning double as both a trainer and reinsman.

MAGIC MADDIE BREAKS HER DROUGHT
The drought has been broken for Magic Maddie – that’s the winning drought!
Tamworth HRC hosted two heats of the Droughtbreaker Series last week and the Cameron Davies trained Magic Maddie was the first to break through in taking out the Changeover Droughtbreaker Mile.
“It was a really good run” said Davies after the win “She got a bit of luck which is needed around here (Tamworth)”

Old Boys Pace 
“It was an oldie but a goodie” could have quite possibly summed up the day at Tamworth last Thursday when the Club hosted many old trainers and drivers on their old stomping ground.
They may have been arch enemies on the track in years gone by but they certainly showed they valued their friendships- with plenty of tales being told – whilst watching some tough competition happening on the paceway.

Wings of Desire had his own “surprise party” in taking out the opening event – the TAB Rewards Pace - but the gelding forgot to send an invite to his trainer Paul York.

York was literally the last to learn of the win as the Australia Post Manager (New England Operations) was away at a work meeting in Shoal Bay – with his phone turned off!

What a surprise when York looked at the results later that day.

“After I turned the phone on I heard all the messages come through and when I looked at the results I saw he (Wings of Desire) had won. I went “shivers he has won” chuckled York.

Will Star Mara be as good as her mum? Well the writing is on the wall to say yes with full confidence.

The four year old mare is every owner and trainers dream – qualify one week and win a feature race the next!

“It is always a nice pleasant surprise to win but I was confident” said Sawyer’s Gully trainer Paul Collins who was recounting the win of Star Mara in the $8000 Joan Bullock Memorial race at Tamworth last week.

Who Killed Kenny a Good Tonic for Mackney

The win of Who Killed Kenny relieved the pain just marginally for trainer Danny Mackney in taking out the Global Bloodstock Pace (1980m) at Tamworth.

Mackney normally handles the reins behind the Kenneth J-Fakin Romar gelding but engaged Lola Weidemann on this occasion due to being on the sick list himself.

Yap Yap Yomax greeted the judge with a handy win in the Mobile Sponsorship Now Available Pace (1609m) much to the relief of all connected with the pacer.

The Ultimate Falcon-Jacks Memory gelding has been a “handful” for trainer Tony Missen but after some perseverance and adding young reinsman Brendan James into the “recipe for success” the 7 yo has popped up with a winner.

“I love the horse” said James of Yap Yap Yomax. “He’s pretty good and I have to thank Tony (Missen) for giving me the drive”

Gottaluva Sunday made light work of taking out the Vale Margaret Ford Pace.

From the pole trainer and reinsman Mitch Faulkner was waiting for some pressure to be placed on the four year old mare but she was left alone out in front producing quarters of 31.8s, second quarter 30.3s, third quarter 30.1s and fourth quarter 29.6s.

CYCLONE KATE WINS $25,000 Prydes EasiFeed Golden Guitar Final at Tamworth by Julie Maughan

Torrential rain was the back drop for the win of Cyclone Kate in the $25,000 Prydes Easifeed Golden Guitar Final at Tamworth last Friday night.

"I like her even more now" said McCarthy of Cyclone Kate. "They told me she had a bit of ability"

It was the first time that John McCarthy had made the trip to compete in the racing carnival at Tamworth and all indications are he will be back.

MUARNO AND UNCLE PETER HAVE IMPORTANT VICTORIES AT TAMWORTH by JULIE MAUGHAN

Queenslander Narissa McMullen paid her first visit to the Tamworth Golden Guitar Carnival and vowed she will be back – especially after the win of Murano won the $12,000 Garrards Horse and Hound Tamworth City Cup.