Now based in Queensland, the former country music songster, who lived in Tamworth for a period, is returning to seek out a golden guitar of a different tune, not on the stage, but on the track as Bunz has now turned his hand to training pacers.

“I lived here in Tamworth for about 15 years - I use to sing with Lindsay Butler,” Bunz said.

“It is great to come here to race – my Dad (Dennis) was a trainer and his Dad was a trainer in NZ.”

Bunz was trackside to see Real Social make it through to the final after taking out the first heat last Sunday at Tamworth in what some would regard as a walk in the park.

Records are set to be broken and that is what Real Social achieved in the first heat slicing 1.7 seconds off the track record of 1.58.8 set by last year’s winner Cyclone Kate with Real Social clocking 1.57.1 for 1980m.

“We thought we would try and get to the front and use his gate speed,” reinsman Nathan Dawson said.

“There was a little bit of pressure, but not too much to worry him - he is a good enough horse to get to the finish.”

For Dawson and Bunz - who trains out of Purga, near Ipswich – their first shot at a Golden Guitar Final be something to remember.

Real Social had a 3.2 metre win over The Duke Downunder (Steve Doherty) and Angela’s Image (Kylie Barnes) a neck away third.

Bunz will have two opportunities to grab the ‘gold’ with another from his stable in Change The Nation who qualified for the final after finishing second to Rakarazor in the second heat.

“I had a look at the race last year, but this is only my second year of training,” Bunz said.

Change The Nation has drawn barrier five and Real Social barrier three in the feature Golden Guitar Final at 9.03pm.

But the race day for the trainer and driver will kick off in the opening event when Ideal Romance commences from the one barrier in the Tamworth Country Music Festival Pace.