Locals Clean Sweep at Tamworth Thursday May 8th

"Locals" Dominate

At Tamworth on Thursday afternoon May 8 it was a clean sweep for
"locals" on the 8 race TAB card with all the winners coming from the
local area.
Tamworth trainer Ian "Ernie" Mabbott dominated with a winning treble, including two recent acquisitions, Big Tom Lombo and Den Helder, transferred from South Coast mentor Greg Coney, who is out of action due to eye operation.
The first leg of the treble came up in the Allen Fox Equine Massage
Lordship Pace 1609m when 3yo colt Big Tom Lombo ( Village Jasper-Ally Cat Lombo) enjoyed a good sit before scoring by 3 1/2m in a rate of 2.01.6. Stable driver Anthony Varga gave a very polished performance on the 5/4 second favourite.
Mabbott's double was procured in the TAB Rewards Pace 1980m with 3yo Kemira Cause (Ifihadyourluck-Cause A Scene) storming home under the vigorous driving of Dean Cahapple to win by 4 3/4m. After racing near the rear, the 5/2 sec.fav. sprinted up three wide at the bell before hitting the lead at the 400m. It was the geldings second win since joining the local stable.
Leg number three of the Mabbott treble occurred in the $5000 Club
Dubbo Golden Gig Heat 1980m when 4yo Den Helder (McCardle-Parisian Petra) raced three wide for the last 1000m but still proved too tough for the fast finishing Mista Taptoe Lombo and leader Sissies Beach Girl. Having his first drive on the ex-Kiwi gelding, 16yo Year 11 high school student Scotty-Jon Welsh showed maturity and skill beyond his years with a "heady" drive to record a 3 1/4m win in a rate of 2.02.9. Despite solid "southern" form, the winner started at the juicy odds of 18/1 and now qualifies for the $10000 Final at Dubbo on May 25. Welsh has now driven 3 winners on three different tracks and for three different trainers in just a couple of months and from only 23 drives. The likeable junior driver looks to have a bright future in the sport.
Uralla driver David Munsie, a policeman, recorded his first ever
double with two very similar drives. In the TAB App.Pace 1980m he
piloted 5yo Double Barrel (Art Major-Sissies Double) to a narrow win
for his father & trainer Peter. After trailing from barrier one, David
managed to extricate the big mare out from behind the tiring leader at
the 400m, to come with a strong finishing burst for a half-head win at
10/1. His double was completed in the National Trotguide Pace 1980m on 10yo Smart Cecil (Village Jasper- El Aychay), a 24/1 outsider. The gelding was three back on the pegs from his inside the back row draw, however, Munsie squeezed out in the run home to obtain a late split to score running away by 1 1/2m. For his efforts David Munsie earned The Pub Drive of the Day Award. The win also gave young Qurindi trainer Brendan Hunt his first winner after recently moving to the area & resuming training after a break from the sport.
Tamworth reinsman Anthony Varga also made it a double when Jedi
Superstar (Elsu-Pumpkin) fought out a stirring duel with Soho Eros
over the last 500m to take out the Vale Perc Verning Pace 1980m. The
Ken Natty owned & trained 6yo enjoyed a three wide trail up on the
back of Soho Eros and managed a 1m win over that gallant pacer in a
quick rate of 1.59.9, with evergreen Qlder Mister Skye Rocket third.
Moonbi reinsman Dean Chapple also produced a double on the fine autumn afternoon with an all the way victory on Blissfully Fake (Blissful Hall-Molly Be Good) in the iForm Ladyship Pace 1609m.The 4yo mare, an even money favourite, broke her maiden status in a rate of 2.01.3 at her 5th race start.
Rounding out the local successes was 3yo Elboron (Safari-Eowyn) in
the Harness Racing Travelworld 2014 Little Brown Jug Tour Pace 1609m. The big awkward gelding was given a perfect one-one sit from outside the second line by Peter Missen before working home three wide from the 400m. The 5/1 chance also broke his "duck" (from 18 runs) for part owner & trainer Tony Missen.

Tamworth race again Thursday afternoon May 22.

Mark Lowe