The threat of some very active storm activity was the catalyst for the stewards rescheduling the first and remaining races at the Young Paceway on Tuesday night.
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With the rain event in sight of the track just prior to the advertised start time.
Trainers were advised that the delay would be enforced and all races put back by one race or until the danger had passed.
Bathurst trainers drew first blood when the well supported polemarker Bustling Barney ($2.90) set the pace throughout under the guidance of Emma Turnbull to record a two and three-quarter metre win over second favourite Studleigh Sonny and the Grenfell trained My Mels Place.
The winners mile rate of 1:58.9 would set the scene for what to be an excellent night of harness racing. Race two resulted in a well predicted win for the Bathurst trained Dark Terror ($1.50) driven by Scott Osmond for trainer Ben Settree.
With a win and two recent placings to his credit, the four year old Western Terror gelding was in command from the get go in defeating Terryrama and outsider The Warp Reactor in the fastest run of the night in 1:56.9.
Proving that age is no barrier, the nine year old veteran of 232 starts, Snoop Stride ($11) found plenty of determination to flash home down the outside to take the major end of the prize ahead of another outsider in Pom Pay and Presidential Attack.
Unfortunately for favourite backers, Shoobies Magic ($1.70) failed to fire in one of the slowest races of the night with the winner recording a 2:04.7 mile rate.
The closest finish of the night occurred in race four when the Monteagle trained Dragon Stride ($3.80) found the gap at exactly the right time. Driven by Blake Micallef, the polemarker seven-year-old gelding rose to the occasion to snare a short half head winning margin over the more fancied Overpowering ($3.10) and local pacer Topsie Grinner with Lifeplusten finishing fourth just behind the placegetters. Again a mile rating of 2:02.2 was a creditable performance by the winner now of six races from 80 starts.
Temora reinsman Ray Walker showed he has lost nothing in ability by producing a masterful drive behind the four year old Plumpton Road in race five for his owner John Fury. Coming from second at the bell and circling the field over the concluding stages, the mile rating of 2:00.9 and a winning margin of two metres over his rivals Rock This Way and A Good Ideal gave the stallion his second win in hid fourteen race career.
Youthful driver Jason Turner took polemarker Butadream straight to the lead soon after the start and was never headed in race six. The five year old Big Jim mare ran solid quarters to post a mile rating of 2:01.9 with favourite Funnily Enough, who had won his previous two starts at Junee and Temora having to sit outside the leader throughout to finish second with Hardliner taking the minor end of the purse with the winner having a five-and-a-half metre advantage over his rivals.
Part owner Graeme Henderson from Yass was rewarded for his patience when the lightly raced veteran five-year-old mare Coolalie Kid ($2.90) lined up for only her third race start in race seven, handing in a solid performance to defeat Gabbys Ideal and Roll A Dream in a mile rating of 2:04.1.
Racing was to conclude on a interesting note when third favourite Studleigh Paul ($5.50) held of a determined challenge from local pacer Philandering Chef ($1.65) who came from sixth at the bell, with To The lookout for Emma Turnbull finishing third.
The club will now prepare for their biggest night of racing when the conduct the 20230 Carnival Of Cups meeting on Friday night, March 13. With the feature race carrying total prizemoney of $30,600 and the two feature supporting races each of $20,400, the club expects a large number of country and metropolitan trainers to converge on the Cherry Capital.
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