Gottashopearly – or Donald – as he is known around the Williams Racing Stables at Tamworth, is set to impress and continues to rise up the Inter Dom ranks before the first heat is contested on December 1.

Raced by Hunter Valley owners Josh Lee and Jake Mitchell, Gottashopearly is proving to be a champ for the owners. Purchased as a $4000 claimer, Gottashopearly has had 15 race starts for his owners with the result of six placings – including at Menangle – and four wins with prize money amassed at $27,280 from those 15 starts.

Stablemate Coralie Joy will also make the trip to Victoria and will contest the North Vic Waterproofing Pace with Sydney reinsman David Morris to take the drives behind the two pacers.

MANILLA reinswoman Courtney Sutherland in still on Cloud 9 after learning she has made it to the final of the Indigenous Drivers Invitational Series.

Sutherland made the trip to Wagga to contest the first two heats of the KARI-sponsored series before competing at the Maitland Heats last Friday.

Courtney had certainly put in a top effort to be part of the series and was rewarded with her invitation to contest the final at Menangle on Sunday, October 28, with the race to be called the JC Caffyn Plate.

MAITLAND was the place to be last Friday night when  Tamworth trainer Danny Mackney drove Pure Laughter to her first career win at race start 20 in taking out the Aussie Maitland Pace.

The win by the Rod and Di Hazell-owned mare was very impressive with an 18m win over the nearest runner in Hear The Thunder (Rod Atkins) and Believe In Heaven (Bruce Andrews) a further 9m away third.

Mackney started the night off well when he finished second with Christian Shannon for the Sarah Rushbrook stables.

Uralla also featured at the meeting when the Mitch Faulkner-trained and driven Cronin had a win in the Neath Hotel Pace. In a close finish, Cronin had a short half-head win over Whatta Conk driven by Peter Hedges. Both drivers thought it was a dead heat it was that close on the line, but the judges soon sorted it out.

THE Tamworth HRC Awards night was actioned packed when the following were presented with their awards. Congratulations to all.

Award winners: TAB Trainers Premiership - Lola Weidemann; Sauer's Glass Owners Premiership - Marion Weidemann; Peter MacNamara Photography Horse of the Year - Miss Catalina and Gottashopearly; Peter Jackson Bookmaker Mare of the Year - Miss Catalina; Margaret Ford Volunteer of the Year - Arthur Yates; Encouragement Awards - Emma Ison and Rory Brown; Rookie of the Year - Maddison Simon; Tamworth HRC Achievement Award - Scotty Welsh; Tamworth HRC Drivers Premiership – Brad Elder; Drive of the Year - Peter Hedges; North & North West Association Trainers Premiership - Dean Chapple; North & North West Association Appreciation Award - Doreen Shepherdson (Narrabri Club); Contribution to Harness Racing in the North West - Col Hobday (Inverell Club); Club Person of the Year – Joyce Walsh.