KEAYANG Sponge Bob is heading back to Menangle to contest another $20,000 Club Menangle Country Series final after winning the heat staged at Newcastle on Wednesday night.
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Driven by Lachie Manzelmann, Keayang Sponge Bob went straight to the lead from the one barrier under a strong hold with the mile rate for the 1609m race clocked at 1.58.6. Quarters were covered in 30.1 sec; 30.6 sec;30.3sec and the final quarter in 27.6 seconds.
Keayang Sponge Bob finished second in a $20,000 Menangle final back on October 28 to Ominus Warning where they went 1.53.3 for 1609m.
It has been a good season for Keayang Sponge Bob with six starts producing two wins and three placings. Considering the Shadow Play gelding has only had eight starts for trainer Greg Coney, that is a pleasing result.
Cronin from the Mitch Faulkner stables at Uralla has also made the final after producing a top effort to finish second to Keayang Sponge Bob beaten 1.9m and Hunter Valley pacer The Big Cheese from the Barry Matterson stables finished 2.8m away third in the Newcastle Heat.
MOONBI pacer Shadow Dealer made it a first up win from a spell in taking out the second heat of the Dubbo RSL Club Resort Pace at Dubbo on Sunday afternoon.
The now four-year-old gelding, who is trained and driven by Wayne Gray, will return to Dubbo on Friday November 24 to contest the $8000 final.
Shadow Dealer had a 2m win over Our Pocket Rocket (Gary Edwards) and Camelot Speedstar (Amanda Turnbull) a head away third.
Even though resuming Shadow Dealer was making it back-to-back wins after a last start win at Dubbo in May before the gelding headed for a spell.
With only two heats conducted, the other winner was Needitwantitdoit from the Kasey Hocking stables.
Hocking and her partner Brendan Orr made the move from Broken Hill just over two years ago to Parkes and have enjoyed the success but Needitwantitdoit was certainly the late mail as he was having only his second race start back after a two-year spell to record 2.00.1 for 2120m.
COBBITTY reinsman Todd McCarthy represented NSW in the Australian Drivers’ Championship and took out the title over the weekend and will now turn his focus to New Zealand where he will take the drive behind Tiger Tara in the New Zealand Trotting Cup. Tiger Tara has placed in two New Zealand Cups so will be looking to the winner’s podium this time round.
HARNESS racing is at Armidale again next Thursday, November 15.
