January Carnival 2014 Day 2 Report

NIGHT 2 - Golden Guitar & Star Maker Heat
 

GOLD TO PLAY GUITAR?

Night 2 of theTamworth Country Music Festival of Harness Racing on Sunday night January 19th with the features being 5 heats of the Pryde's EasiFeed Golden Guitar 1980m and 2 heats of the Burke & Mead Lawyers 3YO Star Maker 1980m. The good crowd was also entertained off track by music duo Billie & Rach.

Golden Guitar Heat 1 had nominal series favourite Qlder Goldplay (Presidential Ball-Real Radical) confirm that status by recording an easy 10m win in a rate of 1.59.9. The Bart Cockburn trained & driven 4yo mare, who is owned by Kevin Seymour, drew barrier 5 on the fontline and started 6/4 on. Going back early Goldplay raced around to the "chair" with 1100m to travel before cruising home to beat the leader, local Our Orville. The ex-Kiwi now boasts two from two in Australia having won at Albion Park on debut for Cockburn on Dec.31.

Heat 2 had local 6yo entire Gotta Feeling (Modern Art-Sigrid Franco) enjoy perfect one-one sit throughout before edging out the favoured pair,"death-seater" Major Gambler and leader Sir Brutus. Prepared on the track by Ken Natty, the 9/1 shot was capably handled by Peter Hedges, who won The Pub Group Drive of the Night for his efforts. The winner's rate of 1.58.9 was the fastest of the 5 heats.

Heat 3 had 5/1 on favourite Major Frank lead most of the way but could not hold off Master Firehawke (Red River Hanover-Miss Firehawke) in the run home, after trailing the leader throughout for Sawyer's Gully trainer/driver Rodney Pike. The 5yo gelding started 11/1 and rated 2.00.6 despite resuming from an 11 month lay-off.

The fourth Heat had 5yo ex-Kiwi gelding Smokin Bopper(Elsu-C C Bopper) lead all the way for Eglinton trainer/driver Nathan Hurst in a rate of 2.00.6. The out of class C1 pacer scored easily by 8m from Ultimate Trump to make it 8 wins from just 27 starts. Hurst a regular to the carnival is chasing his first Golden Guitar.

The 5th & final Heat saw Cessnock 5yo chestnut gelding Set In Stone (Blissfull Hall-Omega Pearl) comfortably lead all the way from barrier 1 to score by 15 1/4 metres from trailer We Own The Night in a rate of 2.00.2. Trained by Cameron Davies the 6/4 on favourite gave driver Josh Osborn no concerns at all.

The $20000 Pryde's EasiFeed Golden Guitar Final 1980m this Friday night should be a very keenly contested affair with frontliners Goldplay, Smokin Bopper & Set In Stone, along with backrowers Master Firehawke & Gotta Feeling likely to be well fancied. The C2-C4 race is a stepping stone to further success and often unearth's a potential star, evidenced by 2013 winner Mach Beauty.

The 3YO Star Maker Heat 1 produced a solid performance from 5/4 on favourite

Tiz A Smokey (Tiz A Masterpiece-Nora Barnacle). After racing three wide and outside the leader, the gelding assumed the front and ground out a narrow win over Ultimate Ace & Tolhurst Jailbreak for trainer Michael Osborn. He was perfectly handled by his nephew Josh Osborn.

Heat 2 went to local El Kay Grand (Bettors Delight-Kayceem Grand) for Moonbi driver Dean Chapple and Bendemeer trainer Peter Rippon. The filly raced behind the leader before before getting into the open at the 400m and switched four wide to score well fom Onethingforcertain (obtained a late inside run) and Rachelle Shannon (outside leader).

The $12000 Burke & Mead Lawyers Star Maker 3YO Final will be an open affair with the barrier draw crucial to the chances of the heat winners.

The other two races, the Burke & Mead Commercial Law Pace 1609m went to My Late Best Mate (Northern Luck-Sahara Lombo) in 1.59.3 for East Maitland veteran trainer Robin Hosking and gave drver Peter Hedges a double, and the Tyreright Pace 1609m had ex-Victorian 6yo gelding Where Is Moonambel (Aces N Sevens-Moonambell Joyce) come out of the one-one sit with a three wide run at the bell to score for Tamworth trainer Tony Missen. The 17/1 chance was driven by the trainer's younger brother Peter.

This Friday night's Carnival of Cups meet also features the $10000 Garrard's Horse and Hound Tamworth City Cup 2360m, a Monte" exhibition between an unhoppled pacer and a trotter, the riders being apprentice jockey Sophie Young  and reinswoman Sally Torrens, music by Jacki Ranclaud, the mini-trotters and the Great Golf Chip-Off. All roads lead to Tamworth Country Music Capital.

Mark Lowe