At only her fourth career start, Quincy Storm took line honours in the Prydes Easifeed Pace at last Friday’s Tamworth HRC meeting.
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The Tinted Cloud-Quincy Classic filly certainly had some work in front of her in the 1980-metre race but went on to achieve the win and collect the winner’s prize purse.
From the nine barrier, reinsman Paul Grima sat quietly four back on the outside running line while Dalacos Empress (Lola Weidemann) led the field with race favourite Seven Rippin Aces tucked in on the leader’s back.
“I didn’t panic as I know she has got a very short sprint,” Paul Grima said.
Quincy Storm is raced by Grima and older brother Michael with both sharing the stable duties – Michael handles the training and Paul the driving.
“Mick trains her so that’s good,” added Paul with a sense of accomplishment for the duo.
With the first quarter raced in 32.8 seconds, the second 29.5, the third 30.6 and the final quarter in 32.7 seconds, Grima knew the race was unfolding up ahead of him.
“They went hard in most probably the second quarter. I noticed she dropped the bit and was chasing,” Grima added.
Grima gained a split on the final turn when racing four wide to find the lead down the home straight – which was most certainly unfamiliar territory for Quincy Storm – but kept pressing forward.
“It was going to happen – you just have to play a game of patience,” Grima said.
Quincy Storm went on for a 2.6-metre win over Seven Rippin Aces and Cobla Madonna a half head away third.
Tamworth reinsman Tom Ison also enjoyed a good day at the office when he drove a double with the Brendan Hunt-trained Merry Jasper and Fear No Evil for his father Andy Ison.
Merry Jasper at race start 92 brought about the first win of the day for Ison in The Pub Pace after sitting three back on the outside running line.
“The horse felt good in the race,” Ison said.
“Mick [Formosa] put some speed into the race and it helped us.”
With the bell ringing in the background, Speedy McArdle led the field while Merry Jasper commenced his run to be racing three wide coming into the final turn.
The home straight was when the “old Jasper” gained momentum to go on for career win number seven with a four-metre win over Star Mara (Peter Hedges) and Speedie McArdle a half neck away third.
“He’s not over with yet,” joked Ison of the seven-year-old Village Jasper gelding.
“He is pretty kicked back to drive – he just gets the job done.”
Ison then fronted up to the Like Tamworth HRC on Facebook Page Pace with Fear No Evil from the nine barrier.
“I loved it – this horse has got so much ability and when the gap came we went,” Ison said.
While Commanche piloted the field, Ison found himself three back on the inside running line – that was until Commanche drifted up the track which gave the young reinsman a trail into the final turn behind Hannah’s Freedom.
Fear No Evil raced home for a 10-metre win over Smiles From Heaven and Hannah’s Freedom who were declared a dead heat for second.
“There was always going to be something happening in the last 400 metres,” Ison added “So the run was always going to come.”