SMOOTH Cha Cha danced his way to a debut win in the Johns Glass & Glazing Pace (1609m) at Tamworth Paceway on Thursday while stablemate Tella scored one of the easiest wins seen at Tamworth Paceway for many a day.
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It made it a good day for Sawyer’s Gully trainer/driver Rod Pike.
Tella, a recent Kiwi purchase, slipped away to a 37.75m win in Thursday’s Peter McNamara Photography Pace (1980m).
“I’ve only had her three or four weeks,” Pike said.
“She’s not real big but she’s fast.
“She’s got good gate speed yet still got a little zip at the end.”
Her win came on top of Smooth Cha Cha’s win in the opening race of the seven-race Tamworth TAB meeting.
The three-year-old colt started from the second row but had a dream run in behind leader Miss Flick (Shannon Harmey) for most of the journey before easing to challenge rounding the home turn and grab a 4.25m win.
The two pacers cleared away in their battle, with the third-placed Lively Lily (Peter Hedges) some 37m away.
Smooth Cha Cha was having his sixth race start and notched his first win.
“The race was run to suit him,” Pike said of the son of Live Or Die.
“He had ability as a two-year-old but didn’t show it.
“He’s come back a bit better this time.”
He had returned from a seven-month spell with a sixth at Newcastle on February 7.
Winning at Tamworth is always a pleasure for Pike, who is now based at Sawyers Gully near Heddon Greta.
He grew up and started driving and training in Tamworth.
“I’ve been down there five years now – it’s definitely the best move I ever made.”
o Tamworth Harness Racing Club doesn’t race again until Wednesday, April 17.
