If at first you don’t succeed try and try again!
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That could very well have been the motto of Hunter Valley reinsman Mark Callaghan, who won The Pub Group Gold Nugget at Tamworth Paceway on Wednesday night at his third attempt.
Culinary Delight – who Callaghan also trains – was the horse that placed him into the winner’s circle.
With race favourite Captain Rockey (David Grant) utilising the number one barrier and holding the lead Callaghan who commenced from the three barrier popped in on the leaders back.
“I was rapt to get in there on the favourites back – I only had to get out then,” Callaghan said.
Carrying a flat tyre - which occurred on the first turn - Callaghan was happy with the run of Culinary Delight, who produced a mile rate of 2:01.4 on the way to victory, highlighted by a final quarter of 29.0 seconds.
“Horses that pull a flat tyre don’t normally win these days,” he added.
“I copped the flat tyre on the first turn, she did a superb job pulling a flat tyre, but she had a good trip and got out at the right time.”
Captain Rockey dictated the race terms out in the lead with the field racing on a heavy track after a torrential downpour hit the paceway just before the race.
Sydney pacer Sam’s Cam (Nathan Xuereb) was the first to make a race move three wide around the field as the bell heralded the last lap.
Captain Rockey commenced to increase his lead over the field as the gelding rounded out of the final turn and headed into the home straight with Callaghan and Culinary Delight giving chase.
Callaghan took the $10,000 feature by the narrow margin of a neck over Captain Rockey right on the line with Sams Cam 10 metres away third.
“I like coming here (Tamworth) it’s a great club - you get well looked after and the track is in great order,” he said.
For Culinary Delight – a former Kiwi pacer – it has been a great success rate on the Tamworth Paceway with two starts producing two wins.
The first came back in when the mare won the BMR Quarries Dash For Cash raced over the 1230m distance and setting a new track record with a mile rate of 1.53.6 before taking out the Gold Nugget feature raced over 1980m.
“I thought it was exceptional run considering she carried a flat tyre on a wet track but she seems to handle the track alright,” he said.
Callaghan has had two other attempts at winning The Pub Group Gold Nugget feature race – back in 2015 he was beaten a short half head on race favourite Millwood Liberty and in the 2016 running missed out again with Strawberry Courage – who also commenced as race favourite.
Maybe this time round Callaghan’s change of luck came when he wasn’t the race favourite with Culinary Delight paying $7.50 for the win.
The triumph lifted Culinary Delight’s career record to 10 wins (along with 12 minor placings) from 60 starts and her prizemoney earnings to past the $87,000 mark.
