January Carnival Day3 Report by Mark Lowe

: Night 3 - Country Music Festival Pacing at Tamworth.

 

GOLDPLAY'S GUITAR

A big crowd was in attendance for the conclusion of the three night festival of pacing and Canival Of Cups meet at Tamworth on Friday January 24.

If you thought Qld 4yo mare Goldplay's Heat win on Sunday January 19 was impressive then her emphatic display of speed to capture the $20000 Pryde's EasiFeed Golden Guitar 2014 Final 1980m was just breathtaking. The daughter of Presidential Ball & Real Radical drew barrier 6 (outsde front row) in a very talented field and sprinted to the lead after 200m. The Bart Cockburn trained & driven $3.20 second favourite then just toyed with her rivals to win easing down by 16 metres in a track record of 2.25.5,a rate of 1.58.3,eclipsing Jasper Gold's 2011 Golden Guitar Final mark. It was also a new mares record. The last 800m on the 750m Showground Paceway was a sizzling 56.0 seconds (27.5, 28.5), probably the quickest ever seen.

The 2/1 favouite Smokin Bopper (Angela Hedges) galloped out and was never a factor, while Set In Stone (Josh Osborn) trailed the winner throughout to finish 2nd and 3rd placegetter Major Gambler (Nathan Hurst) fought on well, beaten 26m, after racing without cover.

Goldplay, a $23000 purcase from New Zealand by leviathan owner Kevin Seymour, has now had 3 Aussie starts for 3 wins and her 2 easy Tamworth victories have netted $13800  (& unique trophies) to progress her just one class from C2 to C3.

Just as the 2013 Golden Guitar series unearthed a rising star in Mach Beauty, 2014 looks to have matched this as Goldplay is certainly bound for bigger & better race wins for one of the industries most talented horseman in Bart Cockburn, a lethal combination to keep watch out for.

The new feature, the $12000 Burke & Mead Lawyers Star Maker 3YO Final 1980m was an action packed affair. After early interference put a couple of runners out of business, the race developed into a close four way battle with Tulhurst Jailbreak (Trump Casino-Tulhurst Justice) escaping with a victory for Eglinton tr/dr Nathan Hurst. The gelding enjoyed a three wide trail behind Tiz A Smokey ( Josh Osborn) over the last 900m before getting the better of that pacer in a close finish, with Qlder Its Wellsaid (Jamie Donovan) a late finishing 3rd. Tulhurst Jailbreak is owned by Nathan's father Kevin and the $7200 winner's cheque took his earnings to over $20000 from 3 career wins.

For Hurst it was the 2nd leg of a winning double having had an armchair drive on 3/1 on favourite Gabrielle Solis (McArdle-Prom Queen) in the Rebel Ant Brewing Pace 1980m. The 4yo mare won by 14 3/4 metres in rate of 2.00.8 for her 10th win from just 19 runs and stakes of $37600.

The most popular victory on the 9 race TAB card was by local Soho Eros (Artiscape-Nightn Georgia) in the $10000 Garrard's Horse And Hound Tamworth City Cup 2360m. The 6yo had to do it tough as driver Peter Missen came out 3 wide with 1000m to travel, before getting to the death 600m out, when the "death-seater:" Qlder Ohaka Mach ( Tevor Lambourn) rolled to the lead. Slugging it out up the straight Soho Eros won by a half neck, with an unlucky 3rd to the fast finishing True Desire (Josh Osborn), who was held up three back on the pegs and pushed back to near last before getting home fast wide out over the concluding 350m.

Soho Eros ($15.50) rated 2.004 to record his 6th win from 11 starts this season ( 16 from 63 lifetime with 21 placings for $56000) for Tamworth trainer Tony Missen who also part-owns the very consistent gelding with brother & driver Peter and Steve Sainsbury. After winning the Peter & Di McNamara Photography Tamworth Horse of the Year 2012/13 Soho Eros is currently leading and on course to repeat that feat for the 2013/14 season.

The 3/1 on favourite Ultimate Art blotted his unbeaten status at Tamworth (4 from 4) wih a fourth placing after racing 4 and 3 wide for the last 900m.

The Dubbo combination of trainer Michael Carroll and driver Nathan Carroll had a night to remember as they produced a treble, all at juicy odds. Their stable stalwart 13yo Sunofbula (Sun Lamp-Belubula Belle) flashed home wide out after racing three pegs to win the Wardle Osborne Chartered Accountants Pace 2369m. A 23/1 outsider, the veteran of 167 starts won his 20th race in a rate of 2.00.9 for over $80000 in earnings.

The father & son duo then took out the TAB Pace 1980m with Bluechip Boy(Browning Blue Chip-Watch That Girl) who had a sit behind the leader before coming three wide at the 400m to score at 30/1 in a rate of 2.01.0.

The treble came up in the Hazells Farm And Fertilizer Services Pace 1980m when Blacks A Buzzin (Life Sign-Capriccio) raced without cover before scoring narrowly at 10/1 in a rate of 2.02.8.

HunterValley tr/dr Rod Pike returned to his old home track to take out the Parry Logistics Pace 1980 with Uwantsumcomegetsum (Elsu-Principesa Maria). The lightly raced 4yo gelding sped up three wide from outside the second line to quickly lead and make it a one act affair in scoting by 29 1/4 metres, rating 2.01.3.  It was win 8 from 16 starts for nearly $28000 in prizemoney.

Moonbi tr/dr Kerry Wellington won the last race of the Carnival, the Pryde's EasiFeed Easi Performance Pace 1609m  with big 4yo gelding So Bad (Badlands Hanover-Paris Tango). Despite a hard three wide run for the last 800m, the well supported 13/4 sec. fav. recorded his 4th win from 12 starts in a rate of 2.00.5.

The skies threatened on a overcast night but the much needed rain did not eventuate, allowing the big crowd to enjoy great racing and a host of activities on & off the track.

There was a whip-cracking display by multiple Australian champions Steve Wicks and 17yo daughter Brooke of Gunnedah, music entertainment by young Willow Tree singer Jacki Ranclaud, who also sang the National Anthem, a public & celebrity Great Golf Chip-Off, two mini-trot races, the Princess of the Paceway was taken out by 16yo Tamika Knight and a very close finish to the 1000m  "Monte" exhibition between an unhoppled pace ridden by 22yo apprentice jockey Sophie Young and a trotter ridden by Gunnedah reinswoman Sally Torrens.

Tamworth race again on Thursday afternoon February 13 where the feature is the $8000 Joan Bullock Memorial.

Mark Lowe