BATHURST horses dominate Thursday night’s $20,000 Pryde’s EasiFeed Golden Guitar Final (1980m) at Tamworth Paceway.
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Young Bathurst trainer-driver Ashlee Siejka has three runners in the feature race, Eglinton’s Nathan Hurst has two and former Tamworth trainer Peter Bullock, now based at Bathurst, has Beth Shannon.
Bullock isn’t surprised.
“It’s very strong down there,” Bullock said on Sunday evening after his gelding had qualified for the final by running a game second to Seijka’s four-year-old gelding Packnplenty in the Pryde’s EasiFeed Bio Mare Cubes Golden Guitar Heat 2 (1980m).
Bullock believes Packnplenty and the Hurst- trained Make Some Magic might be two of the favourites come Thursday night.
Max Hughes, who works and drives for Bullock, is also a re-settled Tamworthian at Bathurst.
He’s been in Bathurst for three years, the now 21-year-old driver said after piloting Beth Shannon to a Golden Guitar Final berth on Sunday evening.
“We were hoping to make the final with her,” Hughes said.
“She deserves to be there.
“She’s a real nice mare.
“We did have one in the first heat (Rebel Shannon) but he ran fifth.
“Hopefully we can get a good barrier for the final and be up there.”
Beth Shannon drew the four barrier on the front line yesterday.
Hurst’s pair drew nine and 11 on the second row while Packnplenty drew two on the front line, Medal Of Honour drew the outside of the front line (6) and Red Vee Hanover goes from eight on the second line.
While the Bathurst pacers dominate the 2013 Golden Guitar Final, Keinbah gelding Mach Beauty might just be a danger although he drew 10 on the second line.
The Shane Tritton-trained gelding was a good, valiant second to the Angela Hedges-driven Make Some Magic in Sunday evening’s fourth Golden Guitar heat.
He will be driven by Guy Chapple, who drove Neil Shannon to victory in “this race five or six years ago”, the Hunter Valley reinsman said.
“I think I’ve had more drives in the Golden Guitar Final than anyone else too.
“I’ve qualified 10 or 20.”
Mach Beauty, he said, “went good first up for us”.
“He needed the run big time,” Chapple said.
He will be Tritton’s first Golden Guitar starter.
“I’ve never had the right horse for it,” he said. “We had to hold him back for this too.
“He’s a pretty good horse and will be at his best Thursday.”
The Golden Guitar Final is the fifth of nine races on Thursday night and jumps around 8.17pm.
The $7000 Pryde’s EasiFeed Golden Guitar Consolation Final (1980m) is the second race of the night and followed by the $10,000 Pryde’s EasiFeed Tamworth City Cup (2360m).