Despite the heavy and constant rainfall on Friday night Young Harness Racing was able to push through and run its 10-race program thanks to the all weather track at the paceway.
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With rain continuing to fall from early afternoon, an inspection by stewards and a decision to race was accepted by all involved, with the first race, of what was to be curtailed after race nine, went ahead with a small but enthusiastic crowd in attendance.
Favourite runners throughout the night continued to flow with race one going to Greggs Legacy ($2.50) driven by John O’Shea for trainer Josh Turnbull. Leading at the bell and posting a 30.2 first quarter, the Modern Art three year old colt was never in danger of winning scoring by an impressive 15 m from Carl Slim Dada ($9.40) and the locally trained Forest Fury ($4.20) for trainer Jeff Brown and driver, young Nic Dewar. The track stood up beautifully with a creditable 2:01.4 mile rating to the winner being recorded and certainly setting the bar high for the remainder of the meeting.
The second race again was run in rainy conditions with the first winning double of Josh Turnbull and John O’Shea combining with the roughie of the race Timmy May ($30.50) again leading at the bell to defeat Ima Kennedy Two ($5.30) and another outsider in Prince Kai ($21.30) claiming third money. The 2,100 m event recorded a mile rating of 1:59.9 reflecting the condition of the track and the winning margin of six metres the possible bright future for the five year old son of Dawn Of A New Day.
Steve and Amanda Turnbull combined in race three with the Sealed And Delivered gelding Intransit ($5.70) who came from fourth at the bell to circle the field at the top of the staright to defeat the odds-on-favourite Our Braxton ($1.80) and another Steve Turnbull trained pacer in the four-year-old gelding Dillon ($4.00).
The mile rating of 2:01.8 was again a reflection of the condition of the track and the prevailing weather conditions.
Amanda Turnbull came out of the gates flying to lead at the bell in race four with Whosashadylady ($2.00) and quickly steadied the pace to ensure a sprint home. This was achieved when the leader quickly set a last two quarter run home of 29.7 and 29.9 in defeating Mach Sam ($6.10) and Ruth Shannon ($9.70) in winning her first race from eight starts for her delighted owners.
The wins kept coming for Amanda and the team when Moon Over Manhattan (1.10) leading at the bell and again setting a similar tempo with a ‘steady as you go’ tactic early, running home with a 28.6 last quarter in accounting for Lady Warhol ($17.10) and another locally trained pacer in Ma Koo Loo Queen ($61.80) claiming third money.
To say the rain had gotten a little heavier would be an understatement but it did not deter the likes of John O’Shea and trainer Gemma Hewitt sending out Lyka Version ($1.90) a short priced favourite in race six.
The Oberon pacer trained by Russell Reynolds Satelitte Village ($10.70) finished second in the race while the early pacemaker Somerosesomhere ($54.00) claimed third with a mile rating to the winner of 2:02.1 still a creditable performance under the conditions.
At this stage it was more than noticeable that the majority of winners were winning from the front, this being the case, Forbes trainer, driver adopted the same tactics with Artful Lombo ($2.10) who was leading comfortably at the bell to run home in 29.8 in defeating Ticket Outa Here ($10.80) and Pretty Foxy ($12.60). Unfortunately heavy rain continued to fall with overnight measurements reaching as high as 55 mm in some local areas.
In what was to be the penultimate race of the night, race eight, Amanda Turnbull again made sure she would be part of the action at the pointy end of the race when she drove another copybook race behind Bold Outlaw ($1.30) in defeating the Temora trained Our Red Jack ($24.00) for Ray Walker with the John Vautin trained Riverboat King mare Oceans In The Sky ($82.90) putting in a good performance finishing third.
In what was to be the final race of the night, Perthville trainer Chris Frisby made sure his night was to be rewarded sending out Lockton Art ($1.30) another short priced favourite in defeating an improving Speed King mare in Diamond Thief ($10.80) with Peter Sykes picking up loose change with Ma Koo Loo Frankie ($23.80) in third place.
An inspection of the track, combined with deteriorating weather and signal interruptions at this point forced the stewards to call a halt to proceedings and those involved retired to a much warmer and drier environment.
Racing again on Thursday
Young Harness Racing Club will be holding another race meeting on Thursday afternoon May 25 with a seven race program starting from 2.20 pm.
The meeting includes the $15,000 Alabar Breeders Challenge heats for three-year-old fillies and the same for three-year-old colts and geldings.
TAB 2YO Pace: 1 Ace in Your Pocket, 2 Mackeral, 3 Giant Jackson, 4 Our Uncle Alan, 5 Brads Luck, 6 Ashuring, 7 Pocket of Terror, 8 Roll With Life.
Cordina Chicken Farms Pace: 1 The Kiss Principle, 2 Jiggy Rhythm, 3 Ma Koo Loo Hambo, 4 Just Milhouse, 5 Boundtobewild, 6 Fullofnonsense, 8 Oceans In The Sky.
Donges Supa IGA Pace: 1 Ma Koo Loo Frankie, 2 Magic Sensation, 3 Lucky To Make It, 4 Barkway Bill, 5 Conrad Kenze, 6 To Alaska, 7 Carl Slim Dada, 8 Wamboyne Tommy, 9 Pinnacle Hope.
Hilltops Equine Centre Ladyship Pace: 1 Concertina, 2 Abercrombie Lisa, 3 Smooth Mace, 4 Mah Koo Loo Queen, 5 Catch the Panda, 6 Confederate Girl, 7 Kirra Kid NZ, 8 Lockton Art, 9 Moon Ovr Manhattan.
Turners Furniture One Pace: 1 Timmy May, 2 Forest Fury, 3 Thanku Thanku, 4 So Kool Master, 5 Smithstars Lexus, 6 Glencore, 7 Hijacked, 8 Tanyas Past.
Betterthancheddar Alabar NSW Breeders Challenge 3YO Fillies Heat: 1 Rubies for Tash, 2 Zoemagic, 3 Destiny Belle, 4 Fastestgirlintown, 5 Its All Bliss, 6 Jovial Rock, 7 Rollnlombo, 8 Illinois Beauty, 9 Star Play, 10 Taylors Reason, 11 Lucky Lyla.
Art Major Alabar NSW Breeders Challenge 3YO Colts and Geldings Heat: 1 Tiwanaku, 2 Always At Night, 3 Sunrising, 4 Blissfulday, 5 The Ides of March, 6 Gregs Legacy, 7 Killara Kaos, 8 Corbie Jolt, 9 Machgower, 10 Deekays Dollar, 11 Twentyeightblack.