17 November 2021 | HRNSW MEDIA | MICHAEL DUMESNY
ONE of the most sought-after races on Bathurst Harness Racing Club’s annual calendar is the Bathurst RSL Soldiers Saddle.
First run at the new Bathurst track in 2014, the time-honoured event that year was taken out by Ireby Betty for Menangle based trainer-driver KerryAnn Morris.
Winners since then included Happy To Go (Steve and Amanda Turnbull) in 2015, Bacchus Raucous (Josh and Mitch Turnbull) in 2016, Eliza Dushku (Amanda Turnbull) in 2017, Smooth Sailor (Dennis Picker and Codi Rauchenberger) in 2018, Obi One (Amanda Turnbull) in 2019 and Raging Sea for David and Brad Hewitt in 2020.
Nathan Hurst was the last trainer-driver to win the race on the old Bathurst Showground track in 2013 when his stable star at the time, Saloon Package proved far too strong.
“From a club’s point of view, we are rapt with the support that owners and trainers have given the Soldiers Saddle Series this year,” said Bathurst CEO Danny Dwyer.
“We were hoping that we would be able to run three heats, but I was over the moon when the nominations closed, and we had enough horses for four heats.
“I guess the added prizemoney for the heats ($9,996) going into a $15,000 final was enough to attract the healthy numbers.
“This race has always been a real highlight on our season calendar and has been won by some nice horses.
“And looking at the quality of horses going around in tonight’s heats I have no doubt that the 2021 winner will rate up there with the best of them.
“I am sure that the racing in the heats will be extremely competitive given that only the first and second placegetters will be guaranteed a start in the final.
“The remaining two spots will belong to the two third placegetters that record the fastest times.
“The club has been trying hard to program races to accommodate Western Districts-trained horses which has been achieved for this series with the domination of horses from throughout our district.”
Dwyer went on to point out that it was going to be a busy night of heats with four Regional Breeders Challenge qualifiers capping off a solid 10-race program.
The Peter Trevor-Jones-trained and Mat Rue-driven Standandeliver appears to be the best bet in heat four of the Soldiers Saddle, after drawing ideally in gate two.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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