Predictions that the opening event at the Young Paceway last Friday night would be a race for two were spot on when Our Apachee Miss and Louie Finn fought out the 1720 m pace. Bruce Harpley was quietly confident before the race and his confidence was certainly put to the test to record a close head margin over Our Apachee Miss. Louie Finn rated a slick 1:58.3 mile rating, a time that set the scene for the remainder of the program.
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Amanda Turnbull was able to make amends in the second race of the night guiding Zaras Choice ($1.50) to a convincing 5 ¼ winning margin over Mammals Magic. Coming home in 29.0 and 28.6 the resuming mare, who has now won three from five, had not raced since finishing ninth at Bathurst in March and her form should continue to improve over the weeks in readiness for the lucrative $20,000 final at the end of the month.
In race three the $3,000 claimer Quick Reflection ($1.80) started well from gate two and set a solid pace throughout to defeat Crusty. Quick Reflection has reached the ripe old age of 10 with a total of 17 wins from 151 starts.
An interesting Club Menangle Country Series heat was race four, the very short priced favourite Dream To Share ($1.40) driven by John O’Shea gave his backers no cause for concern leading throughout and recording a smart 1:59.6 mile rating. The five-year-old defeated polemarker Badge Of gameness and back marker Our Novak and will be competitive when Menangle calls at the end of the month.
Steve and Amanda Turnbull made it a quinella for their owners in race five when Blacklist ($10.20) proved too strong, outstaying Hidden Courage in a close finish. Both the winner and place getter are by Courage Under Fire and between them they have won 18 races.
The sixth event produced another Courage Under Fire gelding in Diggers Shed ($20.40) who produced a mile rating of 1:58.9 in defeating the locally trained last start Young winner Rocknroll Queen and Rekindled Luck by a convincing 3 ½ m margin. Diggers Shed is trained at Forbes by Terrence Hush and the gelding certainly gave him great satisfaction, notching up win number six.
There was never any doubt that the Chris Frisby trained Spare The Price would not start a short priced favourite in race seven. Sent out at the odds on price of $1.50, the Bettors Delight mare recorded another fast mile rating of 1:59.6 in defeating Kenfury Lass.
The final race of the night was the most vocal with a vast number of owners on hand to cheer home Million Dollar Jim ($19.90) driven by Scott Osmond for trainer Matthew Johnstone. The gelding registered his first win from 14 starts.
Young will race again on Friday night October 20.
