10 September 2018 | TERRY NEIL
RACECALLER Fred Hastings might not have used the precise term to summarise Amanda Turnbull’s ‘Drive of the Night’ at Bathurst Gold Crown Paceway on Wednesday but the horse’s name – Aintnobettor – perfectly summed up her winning effort.
In the opening race of a new Bathurst season, a C0 Club Menangle heat over the sprint trip, she faced an awkward draw on the inside of the second line, but eased back following the start, got onto the three-wide train in the early stages and was actually in front for most of the last lap, dashing home in a 28s final quarter to hold off the on-pace runners Walk On Kimmy and Grosestar.
The win – number two in 16 starts -broke a sequence of five seconds for the Bettors Delight gelding, his trainer-driver admitting “ I was beginning to wonder lately if he knew how to win, but to his credit he toughed it out tonight and finished the race off well.”
If the win was well-deserved for the horse, and certainly for an outstanding drive, credit was also due to the owners, Adelaide-based couple Terry and Ros Cluse who have been very good supporters of Amanda Turnbull.
In the following race, a C2 Country Series heat, Amanda completed a double when leading throughout with the short-priced favourite Executive Dash NZ, the Well Said four-year-old notching up his fifth win from just 11 career starts.
The naming theme established by Aintnobettor was carried through to the back half of the meeting, with three appropriately-named winners.
The field for the C1-C3 Guaranteed Ladyship Pace included a Kitty, a Carly, a Suzie, a Porsha and a Ruth, but they all played second fiddle to favourite Nova Time NZ, a recent addition to Brad Hewitt’s stable. The come-from-behind winner was named for a star, perhaps, but we’ll stick with the female theme and opt instead for Nova Perris as the inspiration.
A large and happy group of “senior cits” came onto the track for the presentation of the R0 grade South West Community Transport Pace, won by leader Young Cambo, for Emma and Wendy Turnbull.
The winner is a Million Dollar Cam full-brother to Old Jack Cambo, named by former HRNSW chairman Graeme Campbell for his father, and Graeme’s since acquired a sister who’s to be named for his mother, so the win wasn’t as ironic as it might have seemed.
Our Uncle Jim, trained by Chris “The Man from Uncle” Frisby, and driven by his son Anthony, scored an authoritative win in the 3YO Evolution Series heat. The Western Terror gelding charged home over the top of his rivals, marking a return to the Frisby home track after a very successful Queensland campaign which concludes this week.
Peter and Marie Neil were on hand for the Owners Association bonus races, and presented $1,000 bonus cheques to the connections of Karloothreeothree -successful via the sprint lane in the fast-class event for Mitch Turnbull – and Our Little Digger, which bounced back to form in coming off the speed in the C0-C1 NSWSOA sprint, for Bernie Hewitt.
NSWSOA subscriptions for the current season are due at the present time, and for just $55, represent wonderful value.
The Bathurst HRC presentation night will take place on Friday, October 12 , following the excitement of the Bathurst 1000 race week, when the Gold Crown Paceway will host two meetings including its own Shootout time-trial series, which proved such a hit last year.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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