It will be Old Boys Day at the Tamworth harness meeting on Thursday afternoon – with many retired trainers and drivers, who have had a long engagement with harness racing in the North West, to be track side.
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Reminiscing will be the order of the day, for sure, while many race-goers will be looking to embrace a winner or two.
Tamworth trainer and reinswoman Sarah Rushbrook has four runners engaged at the meeting, and is proud to know that her father Mike has had a long association with the Tamworth club. He will be happy to see his daughter compete at the meeting.
“He was on the board at Tamworth [harness racing] for a long time,” said Sarah. “He always had something to do with the club.”
Mike was also the resident race caller for the club and a successful trainer over many years.
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“He went to the gallops for a while as a steward as well,” said Sarah. “He trained a few winners at Harold Park with his good old horse Chancy Boy. I think the horse won eight or 10 races at Harold Park.”
Sarah has three runners engaged in the one race on the Thursday’s program – with Christian Shannon, Jackeroo Shannon and the old stager Aces First contesting the Roadwork Industries Pace (1609m).
Jackeroo Shannon has drawn the one barrier, with Sarah to handle the gelding herself.
“He is racing extremely consistent and he has had some extremely bad draws so he should be a chance from the one barrier,” she said. “Normally he draws the 10 barrier but he ends up running a place.
“The last time I led on him he won and that was over 12 months ago – so I would like to think he could do the same.”
Jackeroo Shannon comes into the race off a last-start third to Ticket Outa Here, in the Hazell’s Farm & Fertilizer Local Pace, as part of the Golden Guitar finals night.
Young Tamworth reinswoman Emma Ison will take the reins behind Aces First from the four barrier.
“The draw doesn’t matter for him,” added Sarah of the 13-year-old pacer. “He has got zero gate speed but he is always doing his best work at the end of the race. He has his customary run home at the finish.”
Aces First has drawn the four barrier, with stablemate Christian Shannon to commence from the five barrier.
“All his runs have been consistent lately,” added Sarah of Christian Shannon, “and he is finishing off his runs now. If we wanted to go forward, or if we want to come from behind, he can. The speed will be on from the front line.”
Christian Shannon finished second to Queensland pacer Rainbow Styling, in the Country Horizon Duo Pace at Tamworth on January 24.
Celebrating a birthday earlier in the week, Sarah would welcome a belated birthday present. “It would be nice if I got the trifecta or even a quinella,” she said.
Calypso Shannon, a Million Dollar Cam mare, will commence from the one barrier in the Wests Entertainment Group Pace (1980m)
“She is flying at the moment. It was a huge run at Menangle, and she has been racing consistently,” Sarah said.
Calypso Shannon will come into the race off a last-start ninth in the Country Series Final, at Menangle on Australia Day, where the horse record a personal-best mile rate of 1min .53.98sec for 1609 metres and covered the last 400 metres in 27.17sec.
The Ivan Finlay-raced mare picked up her fourth career win in taking out the Menangle Heat at Tamworth the run prior to the Menangle effort.
With the Teal Appeal in action for February, all female race competitors will be competing in Teal racing trousers, with each win resulting in Harness Racing NSW donating $200 to the Women’s Cancer Foundation.
