06 December 2021 | HRNSW MEDIA | MICHAEL DUMESNY
NEWCASTLE Harness Racing Clubs will be looking to come up for air tomorrow following four hectic days at the International Paceway.
The club raced on Friday and last night hosted a mammoth third round of the TAB Inter Dominion Championships.
One owner that is currently enjoying good success in the sport is Leeton businessman, Michael Boots, who races former New Zealand pacer Bundoran with ace Bathurst trainer-driver Amanda Turnbull.
The gelding went into last night’s Inter Dominion heats ranked 11th on the list of qualifiers and won his heat securing enough points to find his way into Saturday night’s Grand Final at Tabcorp Park Menangle.
But it was his two-year-olds that had Boots excited on Friday, with wins at Wagga and Newcastle.
Blazing Banner made it five wins from six starts at the Riverina Paceway on Friday afternoon when he held on to score by a neck, ironically defeating another Boots-owned pacer in Admirable.
Trained by David Kennedy at Narrandera, Blazing Banner rated an astonishing 1.51.2 when winning on November 23 and the son of Rock N Roll Heaven seems set for a promising 2022 season.
One race later, Boots again found himself in the winner’s circle , this time with Barrett, a gelding that has won its past two starts.
At Newcastle on Friday night the Boots juggernaut continued when Sweet Lou colt, Sugar Apple produced a strong effort to trounce his rivals in the TAB Venue Mode Pace, rating 1.53.9 and scoring by almost `16 metres.
This afternoon there are no Boots-owned pacers engaged at the Newcastle meeting, but it is a strong nine-race program that is likely to be dominated by Sydney-based horses.
Former South Western horseman, James McPherson who now resides in Camden, will partner the short priced Alanza in Race 2 and the filly will be looking to atone her last start performance when she failed to finish after breaking at Bathurst on November 17.
She has since trialled well at Menangle and should take some beating.
Whats Your Secret (Race 6) is one of several strong chances for KerryAnn and Robbie Morris.
The filly is dropping in grade here and was a Menangle winner three starts back.
Team Morris will be hoping Yuko can overcome her awkward draw in the TAB App Pace (Race 8).
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