After contesting the heats last week at Newcastle, Thundamental, for the Mabbott stables, will commence from the six barrier in the final after finishing second in the fourth heat - beaten 11.9m by the Rod Atkins trained-and-driven Sunshine Pepper.

The mile rate was 1min 57.3sec for 2030m.

Tamworth reinsman Anthony Varga has accepted the drive behind Thundamental in the big Group 1 race, with this the biggest challenge for Thundamental in the four-year-old Live Or Die gelding's short racing career.

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After commencing his racing career back in January, Thundamental has secured four wins and two placings from 10 starts.

The Mabbott stables enjoyed early success at the Tamworth harness meeting on Wednesday afternoon with the win of Tralee Charlie, driven by Tom Ison.

The three-year-old A Rocknroll Dance gelding broke his maiden status in a close finish in taking out the Wests Entertainment Group Maiden Pace.

Tralee Charlie had a half-head win over Rouge Bling (Scotty Jon Welsh), with Major Zone (Jake Hughes) another half-head away in third place.

Chapple will pilot Nor Westa in the Group 1 final. The horse has drawn the two barrier for the Moonbi-based trainer-reinsman.

Nor Westa finished second in his seventh heat at Newcastle. The Vic Frost-trained Scotch En Ice won by 6.5m.

Scotch En Ice covered the 2030 metres in 1:56.3, with the Group 1 race set to go at 7.55pm on Friday night.

The winner of the race will receive a $54,500 boost to their prize purse.

We wish both the Chapple and Mabbott stables success as they tackle the race representing the North West.

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Last week the Richard Williams Racing Stables headed to Queensland and returned home with three winners.

New stable runner Batman Bart produced a tough one-metre win in the gelding's debut start for the stables at Redcliffe on Thursday.

It was followed by North West cups king Gottashopearly (Chloe Butler) winning a three-horse race at Redcliffe on Friday night.

Gottashopearly raced in on the back of $1.75 race favourite and race leader Life's Black (Zac Chappenden) before Butler utilised the sprint lane to achieve a 2.1m with the nine-year-old gelding.

A Good Ideal then secured the third win for the stables, at Redcliffe on Sunday night.

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Harness racing was at Tamworth on Wednesday, with Maitland reinsman Brad Elder driving four winners on a nine-race program.

Elder picked up three wins for his father, Darren, the trainer of Lord Bazalup, Booker Bay and Big Skewey.

An outside winning drive by Elder presented Narrabri trainer Jarred Hetherington with another win for four-year-old Somebeachsomewhere mare Somethingaboutlexy.

She took out the TAB App Club Menangle Country Series Heat and will now be heading to Menangle for a start in the $20,000 final on June 4.

Somethingaboutlexy will be joined by stablemate Always Bopping (Tom Ison) who finished second in the race - making it a training quinella for Hetherington.

The Tamworth meeting also saw local reinsman Tom Ison drive a winning double, with Tralee Charlie winning the opening event for trainer Ernie Mabbott.

Ison then drove a winner for his father, Andy, with Rockin In Chelsea triumphing on debut for the stables in taking out the Carpet One Floor & Home Tamworth Pace.

Hunter Valley reinswoman Grace Panella also achieved a winning double with the reins in steering Makoa to victory in the National Volunteer Week-Better Together Pace and then piloting I'm Quick As Fire to victory for Clayton Harmey in the Pacing For Pink Pace.

Chapple secured a win behind the Aaron Goadsby-trained Sky Operative in taking out the Garrards Horse & Hound Pace.

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