Calypso Shannon proved she is no slouch after making it back to back wins in taking out the Psarakis Accounting Ladyship Pace at the Tamworth harness meeting on Thursday, and handing her trainer an early birthday present.
In a career that spans 58 race starts the seven-year-old mare notched her third career win – her first coming back in December 2015 – despite carrying a flat tyre.
Sarah Rushbrook took the reins once again and it is looking to be a formidable combination between horse and driver.
Commencing from the four barrier Calypso Shannon landed in the one by one racing position.
“She has got such a great little sprint on her this mare and she goes really well with a sit,” stated Rushbrook.
With She’s Heavenly (Dean Chapple) leading the field and Gallifrey Penny (Courtney Sutherland) racing out in the breeze Rushbrook was counting down to the finish line and at the 400m mark sent Calypso Shannon three wide around her opposition.
“If you burn her out of the gate too hard, she revs up and she won’t finish the race off. When we Iobbed in the one by one I thought this is just too good to be true,” she said.
Raced by Ivan Finlay of Gunnedah it is Finlay who normally looks after the training of Calypso Shannon but has left the mare in the hands of Rushbrook and trainer Scotty-Jon Welsh whilst he recuperates in hospital after an operation.
“I reckon he will have a grin from ear to ear,” Rushbrook said of Finlay.
For trainer Scotty-Jon Welsh it was an early 21 st birthday present.
“It was a good win - she is going good,” Welsh said, adding: “Sarah (Rushbrook) and I are looking after the mare since Ivan had his operation.”
“I didn’t think she could do it (win) again but she just proved us wrong.”
Calypso Shannon went on for a 3.9m win over Always A Jewel and Cresco Park (Emma Ison) 3.3m away third.
The following event - the Hazell’s Farm & Fertilizer Services Pace saw Pure Laughter notch up her first win on her home track for owners and race sponsors Rod and Di Hazell.
“I won’t take any credit for the drive,” said trainer-reinsman Danny Mackney after the all the way win.
“She (Pure Laughter) has really settled into herself this mare and just starting to show us what she is capable of.”
“She is really going good,” he added after the third career win produced by the five-year-old mare with the last win coming at Newcastle two starts prior.
“In the big open running and the quick even quarters at Newcastle that is sort of her go but when she was able to get to the top today, she was able to run at her own pace - there is nothing to go around when you are out in front and if you are good enough you can stick on,” he said.
Pure Laughter made good use of the number one barrier draw and held the lead with Too Good For You (Lola Weideman) placing the race pressure throughout the race.
“That doesn’t bother her too much,” Mackney said of the race pressure.
“It gives her a bit more incentive to want to pick the bit up and try - I wasn’t too concerned about that.”
Commencing as race favourite Pure Laughter held the edge over the field to go on for a 2.7m win over Dynamic Deejay (Guy Chapple) and Too Good For You another metre away third.
Tamworth trainer Greg Coney found himself back in the winner’s circle after the running of the ECO Energy & Solar Solutions Pace.
Coney, who is also listed as the trainer, took the reins behind Colonel Joy with the gelding having only his fourth race start for the stables - to produce the win after leading throughout in the 1609m event and recording a mile rate of 1.57.8.
Quarters were covered in 29.6 sec; 30.1 sec; 28.7 sec and the final quarter in 29.4 seconds with Colonel Joy having a 4.9 metre win over Condafew (Stacey Weidemann) and Tulhurst Ace (Peter Hedges) a neck away third.
“All the credit goes to Maddi (Young),” added Coney of his step daughters’ efforts around the stables.
“She does most of the work with the horse’s and we haven’t had this horse (Colonel Joy) for too long.”
“I’m sure she (Maddi) was on the sideline driving the horse with me.”
From the four barrier Coney headed to the lead missing the scrimmage on the first turn when three horses stepped out of their gear, spreading the remainder of the field.
“I noticed Lola’s horse (Long Term Fella) get out of its gear just after the start and I wasn’t sure how many she collected but I will take the advantage where I can,” added Coney, not taking away from Colonel Joy’s racing effort.
“He felt good out in front - he felt like he was never going to get beat” added Coney of the seven-year-old gelding.”
“There was one on my back (Condafew) that I was a bit worried about around the corner but this horse can keep going a bit. I was pretty confident.”
After making the move to Tamworth from Nowra it was Coney’s first winning drive on the Tamworth Paceway which was his first winning drive since “we don’t know when” chimed in Young.
“It doesn’t worry me these days (driving),” added Coney.
“I leave all the driving to Maddi. I hope she hangs around a bit longer.”
Young herself has made the move back to Tamworth to help her step father out with his stable and is the current NSW Standardbred Owners Association Ambassador, as well as winning the 2018 Rising Star Series back in June.
