GEOFF Harding has now won two Golden Guitars.
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He won one with Let’s Ride The Tide in 2007 and, on Friday night, with promising Strathlachlan Andy.
The 2015 edition was more pleasing because the five-year-old gelding is a “family” horse – owned, trained and driven by the Hardings.
That Geoff Harding also hails from Tamworth and moved to Bobs Farm (10 minutes from Nelson Bay) in 2007 made the win that much sweeter.
Matthew Harding drove the five-year-old son of Blissful Hall to a new race and track record too, beating Goldplay’s 2014 Golden Guitar success by clocking 2mins 25.3secs and in a mile rate of 1:58.1.
The gelding swooped on his opposition with a paralysing burst from the back of the field down the back straight.
“He can let down,” Matthew Harding said.
“He is quite quick – for a short distance.”
That distance was around 400m as he put paid to his opposition by taking the lead approaching and leaving the final bend.
He then cruised down the straight to post a 4m win from Marquez (Ashlee Siejka) with Tangles (Nathan Hurst) 5m away third.
“I was confident down the back,” Matthew Harding said.
“We had them beaten at the turn – they all had the staggers.
“Then I put a few on him to keep his mind on the job and make sure he didn’t switch off.”
After completing his schooling in Tamworth, Matthew moved with his family to Bobs Farm and completed a fitter machinist apprenticeship in a power station and now works as an operator.
It’s a good job that gives him plenty of free time to help out with working the horses for his father.
“We’ve got about 10 in work,” he said.
“It’s good to come back here though and pick up the big race.”
Geoff Harding agreed.
He was also confident entering the race.
“He went good, but we expected that,” Geoff Harding said.
“He’s a handy horse. He’d done well since the heat win.
“We thought he was the best horse in the race.
“He’d won a heat and final of a Menangle Country Series, winning it in 53 (mile rate of 1:53). He’s got that real good turn of foot.”
He believes Strathlachlan Andy, the winner of 12 of his 33 starts, has a big future with acceleration that puts him in the position to win some nice, and big, races.