THERE were some major awards handed out at the Harness Racing NSW Awards last Saturday night in Sydney and Keeping Pace is happy to report that the Tamworth Harness Racing Club struck gold in taking out the Best New Innovation Club Promotions/Marketing award for the 2017-18 racing season.
Another award went the way of Tamworth-based reinswoman Madi Young who was awarded the Lexus of Parramatta Junior Driver Encouragement Award. Madi will spend two weeks in New Zealand at a training barn of her choice. She also picked up a best dressed in the fashion stakes.
It was the trifecta for the club when Arthur Yates - resident mobile starter in the north-west was awarded a HRNSW Club Volunteer Award.
Plenty of celebration was had on the night! Job well done for the progressive Tamworth Harness Racing Club.
SUNDAY then saw local stables contest finals as part of the Fisher Ghost meeting at Menangle.
The Shepherdson stables from Narrabri and the Ernie Mabbott stables in Tamworth both contested the $20,000 Club Menangle Series Final and although there was no luck in the winners circle, the horses certainly lifted to the competition.
Kid Montana clocked a PB mile rate of 1.54.16 for 1609m and it was a debut at headquarters for both the horse and reinsman Chris Shepherdson.
Joey Tee from the Ernie Mabbott stables also had a PB mile rate of 1.53.79 and driven by Anthony Varga.
The $20,000 Club Menangle Where Horses Fly Final saw Tamworth-trained Keayang Sponge Bob from the Greg Coney stables finish second to Ominous Warning with a PB mile rate of 1.53.8 seconds for the 1609m.
Keayang Sponge Bob was driven by Madi Young and finished second to Ominous Warning, beaten 7.3m and Harry Day (Neil Day) a further 3.9m away third.
Quarters were covered in 26.6 sec;30.8 sec;28.7 sec and the final quarter of 27.2 seconds.
Fellow Tamworth trainer Sarah Rushbrook was impressed with Jackeroo Shannon - who also contested the same final as Keayang Sponge Bob - and even though unplaced Jackeroo Shannon once again recorded a new PB with a mile rate 1.54.81 - shaving 2 seconds off his last PB when he raced at Menangle – the track where they say “horses fly”.
But wait there is more!
Congratulations to Nash Coney who also won a mini-trot final at Menangle. Nash travelled to Menangle with his parents Greg and Tneal Coney.
The Williams Racing Team were also part of the Fishers Ghost meeting at Menangle with Gottashopearly who had a tough run three wide from the 11 barrier before finishing eighth to Conviciton from the Turnbull stables.
Conviction coved the 1609m in 1.52.6 while Gottashopearly clocked 1.54.32.
The Tuesday Menangle meeting also saw two runners from the Williams stable who were pitted against each other in the Hylands Harness Racing Colours Pace. Coralie Joy (MR 1.52.72) finished sixth and new stable acquisition Ashely’s Angel sixth (MR1.52.76).
The JC Caffyn Indigenous Drivers Series also wrapped up at the Menangle meeting with a $12,000 final. Congratulations to Courtney Sutherland. Although not the winner on the day, Courtney just shone throughout the heats leading up to the final and represented both the north-west and the Tamworth Club so professionally.
Courtney finished sixth in the final to winner Josh Aiken, and was presented with her new racing silks just before the race.
Away from Menangle, Narrabri trainer Jarred Hetherington headed to Redcliffe last Saturday night with Padrisimo to record another win in taking out the Power Up Lawn Mowers Qualifying Pace after racing from last to the win and recorded a MR of 1.58.6 for 1780m.
The Newcastle meeting on the Friday night also saw Apollon win for the Dean Chapple stables while What A Flight was also in the winner’s circle for trainer Dwayne Brown.
HARNESS racing will be back again next Thursday, November 8 at Armidale as part of the Tamworth racing at Armidale meetings.
