30 August 2018 | AMANDA RANDO
GRAND Circuit pacer Tiger Tara will not race in Saturday night’s Group 3 Free-For-All at Tabcorp Park Menangle.
The $1.3million earner was involved in a car and float accident on Tuesday morning and has been ruled out of the feature.
Tiger Tara was lucky to escape any serious injury, however, Harness Racing New South Wales Chairman of Stewards Grant Adams said the stallion will be stood down from racing for seven days.
“The veterinary report following the accident revealed that the horses involved had sustained some bruising around their heads and as a precaution, were recommended to be stood down from racing for a period of seven days and until a further veterinarian clearance is submitted,” said Adams.
Tiger Tara was with three other stablemates in Jakes Sportswriter, Courageous Becqui and Pass The Speights, when the float they were traveling in was hit by an oncoming car and pushed into a tree.
Trainer Kevin Pizzuto was driving the car while stablehand Karen Crouch was also in the vehicle.
Pizzuto escaped with some bruising and Crouch is nursing three broken ribs.
“I hit my head on the windscreen and am sore and bruised but okay,” said Pizzuto.
“Karen has broken ribs and a nasty cut to her head.
“When we got out of the truck and I realised no people had died my concern went straight to the horses.
“Thankfully they are all fine.”
On track, Pizzuto is experiencing one of his best seasons to date having trained 96 winners for the term.
Last season was Pizzuto’s best result training 115 winners, however, his starters this season have earned more prizemoney than what they earned last term.
This is largely due to Pizzuto’s success with the likes of Tiger Tara, Cruz Bromac and Majordan.
Pizzuto’s main stable driver Todd McCarthy has also relished off this success.
McCarthy has already taken out the NSW Metropolitan Drivers’ Premiership for the 2017/18 season and is on track to also take out the State Drivers’ Premiership.
“I’d have to say my two highlights this season was getting that fast time with Maori Time at Menangle and that fast win I had on Tiger Tara in the Canadian Club Sprint where he beat Lazarus,” said McCarthy.
Despite spending time in Europe this season when driving Maori Time in the Elitloppet in Sweden, McCarthy has driven 166 winners this season with just Thursday night’s Penrith meeting and Friday night’s Bankstown meeting the last two NSW meetings for this term.
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