Kudos Bert from the Dean Chapple stables was the first to gain entry after taking out the opening event - The Family Hotel Club $10,000 Menangle Where Horses Fly Heat.

“The horse went good – he has got ability,” Sydney reinsman Leigh Sutton said after the win. “I was a bit surprised I got past the race favourite [Itz Georgiaonmymind] as she is a nice horse.

“That was my first drive on him. He runs around a bit but I think in time he will be a better horse - he is still learning what it is all about.”

Moonbi trainer and regular driver of Kudos Bert, Dean Chapple, was content to sit on the sidelines to watch the race unfold.

“I just can’t believe it,” Chapple said. “I have been rapping him [Kudos Bert] as to how a nice race horse he is and he proved it today.

“He has been a headache all the way through, but today he raced like a nice horse.”

Kudos Bert had a 2m win over Itz Georgiaonmymind (Mark Callaghan), with Cronin (Mitch Faulkner) another 8m away third.

Kudos Bert is raced by George Simpsonand his son Glenn.

“The win was gold - I thought we would run second and heading to Menangle as I didn’t think we would beat her (Itz Georgionmymind),” Chapple said.

“She is a class act and she had to travel to the meeting - she will be better at Menangle.”

Kudos Bert went a sub-2 minutes for the 1609m, clocking 1.58.5 for the 1609m and returning $15 for the win.

Calypso Shannon then took the honours with a win in the $10,000 Southgate Inn Club Menangle Country Series Heat.

Trained and driven by Sarah Rushbrook at Tamworth, it was also a good boost for Gunnedah owner Ivan Finlay.

Coralie Joy (Richard Williams) led the field while Mister Tap Tow Lombo (Geoff Dorn) raced out in the breeze with Calypso Shannon having the enviable one-by-one.

“I had to go a bit earlier than I usually do with her (Calypso Shannon) as I didn’t want to get stuck in on the fence,” said Rushbrook of the seven-year-old mare who was recording her fourth career win at start race start 62.

“I went around the 600m mark - it was a bit earlier than usual for her as she has a nice 200-400m sprint but she battled on nicely. She just kept toughing it out.”

In a close finish, Calypso Shannon had a neck win over Our Bushwacker (Jake Hughes) and Mista Tap Toe Lombo a neck away third.

SAMMY Seelster was straight into the winner’s circle for the Tony Missen stable in taking out the Bevan Douglas Pace.

“We just needed a lot of luck and everything fell into place and it turned out good,” Missen said upon returning to scale.

“I worked for Bevan (Douglas) for about seven years so it was good to win this race.”

With Heritage Beach (Ricky Gordon) leading the field, Sammy Seelster had to race four wide around the final turn to eventually have a 2.6m win over Apollo Thirteen (Leigh Sutton) and Commanche (Scotty-Jon Welsh) 3.2m away third.

Sammy Seelster was having his first race start for the Missen stables with Tony Missen racing the seven-year-old gelding in partnership with stable foreman Stan Allan. The duo will now focus on the next race start this Sunday at Tamworth in the second heat of the Golden Guitar Heats.

TRALEE Rocks from the Ernie Mabbott stables also had a good hit out in taking out the Howdy’s Hoedown at The Pub Friday Night 18th January 3yo on Wednesday night at Tamworth and will contest the $15,000 Pit Express 3yo Starmaker Final on Sunday evening after drawing the two barrier.

WITH the racing carnival now under way for the Tamworth HRC, there is a 10-race program set down for this Sunday evening which will showcase five heats of the Golden Guitar and the $15,000 Pit Express Three-Year-old Starmaker Final.

There will be plenty of country music playing at the meeting as well as a Jockey V Reinsman Derby to be staged. January 24 will see the big final night with the Hygain Golden Guitar Final, Garrard’s Tamworth City Cup and the High Velocity Trick Riders once again giving an action-packed display.