Night racing certainly suited the stables of Tamworth trainer Ian “Ernie” Mabbott at Thursday’s Tamworth harness meeting.
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With four runners engaged at the meeting Mabbott trained a double with Joey Tee and Hedges Avenue, while stablemates Long Forest Creek a second and Purple Shades a third.
Uralla based reinsman Mitch Faulkner took the drives on the night for the Mabbott stables which also saw him notch up a driving double.
Joey Tee was the first to collect the winner’s cheque in the opening event - the TAB Rewards Pace.
“He’s a nice little horse and thankful to get the drive on him,” Faulkner said.
“He (Joey Tee) has been knocking on the door and good to get the win for John Varga.”
The win of Joey Tee, who is raced by John Varga along with his daughter Kerryanne Davis, topped off a good week for Varga who received acknowledgement for his 50 years’ service to the mechanical industry being the proprietor of Johns Auto Service in Tamworth.
“That topped the week off for John,” added Faulkner “might have to have a beer with him”.
Joey Tee had to work hard for his win after racing three back on the inside running line and the Richard Williams trained Coralie Joy setting a quick tempo out in the lead.
“She is a nice little mare (Coralie Joy) and I was a bit afraid when she was running along because she just likes it that way - she is always a though little horse when she is in front but we were able to get the job done in the end when it counts,” Faulkner said.
In the back straight on the final occasion Faulkner sent Joey Tee three wide to handle the task at hand.
“He (Joey Tee) is a funny horse he takes a little bit of driving and got there in there in the end,” he said.
Joey Tee went on for a 2.7 metre win over He’s Novak (Stacey Weidemann) and Miss Catalina (Lola Weidemann) a short half head away third with a mile rate of 1.59.5 for 1980 metres.
Two races later and stablemate Hedges Avenue claimed the Piper Street Veterinary Clinic Ladyship Pace.
“Last week just wasn’t her week - she missed the gate but she went enormous in her run,” Faulkner said of the five-year-old mare.
“We thought we would sit her in the chair this week - she is turning out to be a real nice mare.”
Last start winner Clancy Pants from the Ken Natty stables headed up the field while Hedges Avenue had the tough run out in the breeze.
“Clancy Pants is absolutely flying at the moment,” he said Faulkner.
“I actually thought on the turn we weren’t going to get her but this mare knuckled down and got on with the job.”
Hedges Avenue is raced by Mabbott along with his son Anthony.
“She is going to make it thru to open company this mare - I actually enjoy driving her,” Faulkner said.
Hedges Avenue held a 1.2m win over Clancy Pants (Peter Hedges) with a mile rate of 1.58.9 for 1609m. Calypso Shannon (Sarah Rushbrook) was another metre away third.
Mabbott and Faulkner missed out claiming the first three winners on the program when Long Forest Creek finished second to Long Dirt Road (Tom Ison) from the Jarred Hetherington stables in the Family Hotel Pace.
Purple Shades finished third to Dennington Heights who was making it back to back wins for the Tony Missen stables in the Northern Daily Leader Appreciation Pace.
