Mini Masterpiece turned into a “mini star” after her robust run at the Tamworth raced harness meeting on the Armidale Paceway on Thursday afternoon.
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Racing from the tail of the field to take out the race, the nine-year-old mare who has overcome injury during her short racing career suffering two bowed tendons, notched her fourth career win much to the delight of those who backed her.
Mini Masterpiece paid $252 for the win and $16.50 for the place on the tote which surely would be classified as a record.
“It was a top run by the mare and a good drive by Courtney (Sutherland),” commented David Munsie after the win.
Munsie trains the Art Major mare at Uralla just outside of Armidale.
“Courtney summed the race up nicely,” Munsie added.
“She (Mini Masterpiece) likes the Armidale track - admittedly she went bad the week before but she pulled up sore.”
“I got the chiropractor - Brett Myhill - to her and that is the result – Brett is rapt with the outcome as well.”
With 53 race starts Mini Masterpiece has her “mind blowing” days adds Munsie.
“It depends on which Mini turns up to race,” he said with a smile.
“She shied at the water truck in the preliminary and when she is antsy like that, I know she will run a good race.”
For Sutherland it was “shock” to hear the payout figure.
“I didn’t think she would pay out that much for the win,” she remarked.
With Dashing Hannah (Brad Elder) from the Greg Coney stables gaining the lead from the six barrier Mini Masterpiece was caught wide before Sutherland pulled to the back of the field.
“I was four wide out of the gate and she (Mini Masterpiece) felt good in running - she had gate speed - she just didn’t have enough speed to cross so I had to ease back to the tail of the field,” she said.
Sutherland elected to make a three-wide run as the bell sounded for the final lap.
“When I pulled her out and wound her up down the back straight, I knew I had the leaders covered,” she said.
“She is a bit of an underdog but now she is a Mini Star.”
Mini Masterpiece gained the momentum as the field raced down the home straight to have a half neck win over race favourite Always A Jewel from the Lola Weidemann stables with Dashing Hannah 1.3m away third.
“When I went across the line I thought “that’s my girl,” smirked Sutherland.
The final of the four Tamworth meetings to be conducted on the Armidale Paceway also saw Moonbi reinsman Dean Chapple drive a winning double with Esspee Supreme from his own stables taking out the Brewfest@Scully Park Tamworth Saturday 17 November Pace before guiding Clancy Pants to a win for Tamworth trainer Ken Natty in the Uralla Vet Clinic Appreciation Pace.
Queensland visitor Dayl March ended his day with a winning double after Ultimate Ad won the Mariees Catering @ Armidale Paceway Appreciation Pace while stablemate Clintal Do, who was resuming from a spell, set a new track record in taking out the Ducats Earthmoving Armidale Pace.
With a winning margin of 20m over Kid Montana (Chris Shepherdson) and Colonel Joy another metre away third Clintal Do shaved 0.8 of a second off the track record set by Lenny The Legend (1.57.9) back in March 2017 when he clocked 1.57.1 for 1609m.