CYCLONE Kate slogged through the rain to win a $25,500 Pryde’s EasiFeed Golden Guitar Final (1980m) in emphatic fashion at Tamworth Paceway last night.
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The odds-on favourite lived up to her billing and her track record heat win to claim a 10th career win by 3.5m from Bettabe Perfect (Pete McMullen).
Downunder Stride, driven by Luke McCarthy for his wife and Cobbity trainer Belinda McCarthy, was third 2m away.
However Luke’s father, John McCarthy, prevailed with Cyclone Kate, stopping the clock at 2mins 26.7secs and a mile rate of 1:59.2, a good time in the driving rain.
John McCarthy was concerned early.
“I had to do a bit of work to get there (lead),” John McCarthy said.
“But she raced well .”
He dictated terms and kicked clear around the turn to win the feature race.
Earlier, Narissa McMullen made up for the disappointment of missing a Golden Guitar berth with Murano by winning the $12,240 Garrard’s Horse and Hound Tamworth City Cup (2360m).
The five-year-old gelding son of Bettor’s Delight had won seven races straight before finishing third in his Golden Guitar Heat but redeemed himself with a runaway win in the Tamworth City Cup, scoring a 22.75m win from Tamworth-trained Mitrhys Magic (Ernie Mabbott).
The race started in light rain that became heavier throughout and with two shocks when No Fixed Address galloped and Flight Express lost all hope when copping a check.
However Narissa McMullen had no problems, leading all the way with her black, five-year-old gelding.
She said running third in the Golden Guitar might have been a blessing in disguise.
“He would have drawn a bad gate in the final anyway,” McMullen said after the Cup win.
“It probably worked out better.”
McMullen has been based at Glamorgan Vale, near Ipswich, but is on her way to train at Menangle.
“ I’ve got stables there,” she said.
“I’m taking four horses with me. I’m looking forward to it.”
The 21-year-old trainer-driver is also keen to return to what will be her second Golden Guitar Carnival (and Country Music Festival).
“It was good to come here and get a win,” she said.
“We’ ve been staying at the Showground and having a ball.