Tamworth harness racing: Midnight Montana returns from spell for Dash For Cash

The Roadwork Industries Dash For Cash will be contested over 1230 metres, with a field of 10 runners.

Midnight Montana will have his third tilt at the title, after finishing fourth in the race in 2016 and third to stablemate Coralie Joy last year.

“It’s a good race,” said the trainer of Midnight Montana, Richard Williams, who will take the reins behind the nine-year-old gelding.

The William’s stable won the 2017 running of the Roadworks Industries Dash For Cash, with Coralie Joy, and would like to make it back-to-back wins in the feature race.

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“They are a great spectacle – it’s a whole unknown,” said Williams. “On paper it looks like a hot field but it does come down to who is the fastest horse – it is as simple as that.”

The Mark Callaghan-trained-and-driven Culinary Delight holds the track record for 1230m, clocking 1 minutes 53.6 seconds in 2016. 

“It’s up to the old fella now,” stated Williams of Midnight Montana. “He has raced in the last two Marathons and the last two Sprints at Tamworth. He is fresh and toey in his work so is ready to go.”

Midnight Montana is returning to racing after a spell, with his last start coming in August at Albion Park.

“We are happy with the draw. There is a lot of speed off the front line and hopefully he can punch through,” said Williams.

Midnight Montana has drawn the eight barrier and will follow the Roy Roots Jnr-trained Alabama Shakes, who will be driven by Tom Ison.

Ison, 20, will be searching for back-to-back wins in the feature race, as he drove Coralie Joy to victory in last year’s running of race, for the Williams stables.

Ison is in fine driving form after taking out the first three races at last week’s Newcastle harness meeting.

“It would be good to win it [the Dash For Cash] again,” said Williams. “It’s good to have Monty (Midnight Montana) back in work and kick-start his next preparation leading into the January carnival.” 

Midnight Montana has 16 wins and 42 placings from 200 starts, with Williams training the gelding for his father, Barry.

The Williams stable has two other runners engaged at the night meeting – new stable acquisition Highview Freddy in the Pit Express-Star Maker 3yo Heats Sunday 6 January Pace, and Coralie Joy in the opening event, the TAB Rewards Pace.