THERE have been 108 pacer nominations received for the 2018 Inter Dominion, and Tamworth trainer Richard Williams has one of those nominations in Gottashopearly.
The qualifying heats for the Inter Dom 2018 will commence on December 1 at TABCORP Park Melton followed by Ballarat on December 4 and Cranbourne on December 8 with the grand final on December 15 back at TABCORP Park Melton.
Gottashopearly has certainly hit his straps since joining the Williams Racing Team, a job well done, and will soon receive the trophy for the Horse of the Year at Tamworth for the 2017-18 season.
To keep the momentum going, Williams will return Gottashopearly to Menangle again this Saturday night after finishing second to Lovin Miss Daisy, beaten 3m with the 1609m run in 1.53.3 at headquarters last Saturday night.
Gottashopearly recorded an overall race time himself for the 1609m at Menangle run last week of 1.53.56 with the last 800m in 56.16 seconds and the last 400m in 26.81 seconds.
At Menangle, Gottashopearly will start from the 11 barrier in the Tab.Com.Au Pace while stable mate Coralie Joy will have a run in the Kay and Kevin Seymour Mares Pace.
Stablemate Coralie Joy also contested Menangle last week, in the same event, as stablemate Gottashopearly and had an overall race time of 1.54.17 herself for the 1609m journey and covered the last 800m in 56.42 and the last 400m in 26.98 seconds.
HAS the master trained the apprentice too well? Moonbi trainer and reinsman Dean Chapple now has his 16-year-old daughter Elly undertaking her trial drives as a preliminary to gaining her registered licence. Elly has now completed two trial drives and we can report she did beat her father in the first trial, and is doing a great job.
The talents of all the junior drivers in the north-west are proving to be outstanding and the Tamworth at Armidale meeting saw another female reinswoman join the competition in 17-year-old Tiernan Rogers who is part of the Armidale Club behind Rocknroll Rainbow in the opening event at Armidale.
THE Indigenous Invitational Drivers series started last Friday at Wagga and Manilla reinswoman Courtney Sutherland who, after travelling the long distance to attend the meeting, was most certainly very competitive on the track.
Courtney had a fourth placing in the first heat and a third in the second heat to put the points on the board. The next round of heats will be contested at Maitland on October 12 and Parkes on October 14 before the final at Menangle on Fishers Ghost meeting on October 28.
THE Tamworth HRC Awards night will be held on Saturday, October 13 at the Southgate Inn. Please feel welcome to join in this great night to celebrate the achievements of the past season. A two-course sit-down meal is organised with tickets being $35 per person. Bookings close on Wednesday, October 10 - phone Michael at the club on 6752 188.
