HOT RHYTHM set a hot pace and refused to be run down when the lightly-raced Tamworth mare won yesterday’s $15,000 TAB Country Music Cup (1000m) and might now go to Brisbane.
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Trained at Tamworth by Mark Mason, the four-year-old daughter of Hard Spun dashed to a length win from unlucky Jefferson Park, with topweight Floral Insight two lengths away third.
Hot Rhythm also ran a race record 56.90secs in notching a seventh career win at just her 12th start.
It was also her fifth win from her last six starts.
“She just travelled so well,” race jockey Robert Thompson said as he unsaddled.
“She jumped brilliant, was first out.”
She was also the third leg of a winning treble for Thompson after he had won on Playboy Prince and Roman Account earlier in the day.
Rick Hillier and Scott Williams were two of the owners present yesterday and accepted the Country Music Cup.
“She’s been a great little horse for us,”Hillier said.
“12 starts for seven wins and two seconds. Certainly paid her way.”
He is delighted Mason contacted him to race the mare after she came from the Gai Waterhouse stable.
Mason was also delighted she had sprinted so well first up from a spell.
“That was the plan, go first-up,” Mason said.
“She’s an honest little thing.
“We might take her to Brisbane now.
“She’s beaten the toppie (topweight Floral Insight) twice now.
“She beat Ollie Vollie and he went up there and was more than competitive in open company sprints.
“So she’d have to go all right in a no-win metro up there.”
Mason was also hoping to finish the day with a third win with Been Awakened.
Robert Thompson was also on board there.
However Luke Griffith’s Sugera set a hot pace and was never caught, giving her Scone trainer a winning double after success with Pauline’s Passion earlier in the day.
Meg Hoey notched her first HNWRA double too with Sugera.
“I’ve never had a treble,” Griffith said after posting the double and he went ever close to erasing that when Terwen Destiny was run down by Sue Grills’ It’s A Saga.
Thompson rode It’s A Saga to give him four winners for the day.
It also meant Grills bookended the meeting after winning the first with Gold Etoile (see page 23).