It is being touted as one of the best fields assembled for Wednesday night’s running of The Pub Group Gold Nugget at the Tamworth Paceway.
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Can a local win? All will be revealed in under two minutes at 8.13pm.
Local reinsman Anthony Varga is keen to keep the gold in town.
Varga won The Pub Group Gold Nugget back in 2011 when he piloted the Anthony Mabbott-trained Any Cause to a win and six years on he is keen to collect another gold nugget as the trophy – and for a god reason.
This time round Varga will take the reins behind Mitrhys Magic – or Barry as he is called around the stables – with the gelding raced by his parent’s John and Noelene Varga.
“His last run really topped him off so we thought we might as well set him for the race and then look at the Tamworth Cup,” Varga said.
After finishing second to Fours Enuf Tas from the Weidemann stables last week Mitrhys Magic, who is named after Varga’s nephews – Mitchell and Rhys - will come up against the Queensland pacer again tonight.
“I hope there is a lot of speed on at the start so we can slot in,” added Varga, who has drawn the five barrier.
“Two starts back he started from the four barrier and won but the speed will be on inside him tonight in this race.”
Mitrhys Magic had his last win back on December 4 in the John’s Auto Service Pace which is owned by John Varga.
“That was the second time the horse has won a race that dad sponsored,” Varga said.
Mitrhys Magic is trained by local Ian “Ernie” Mabbott and from 67 race starts the gelding has produced 12 wins and 32 placings.
“It would be a great thrill to win tonight - Mum and Dad own the horse and they do a lot – they breed horses and do sponsorship at Tamworth – and it would be good to see the Nugget stay local,” Varga said.
With one win in the feature race already in the bank Varga is keen for a second.
“It is very exciting and it would be a great achievement to win again,” he said.
“It would make dads day and night.
“He dreams of winning a Miracle Mile but I don’t think he will have that winner so this will be just as good.”
GOLD NUGGET TRIVIA:
If Ernie Mabbott trains Mitrhys Magic for the win tonight it will be the first time a father and son have trained the winner of The Pub Group Gold Nugget.
Two brothers have driven winners of the gold nugget – Guy and Dean Chapple.
If Anthony Varga, Lola Weidemann (Fours Enuf Tas), Michael Formosa (Chantry) or Guy Chapple( Lavra Bhutan) drive a winner tonight they will join the only other reinsman who has achieved having two wins in the feature -Bob Morley – who had back to back success in 2005 and 2006 with Romeo’s Desire.
