"I always wanted to win a Golden Guitar Final - just to be in it with my own horse is nice and with luck we will be there in the final"
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Those are the sentiments of reinsman Tom Ison, who races handy pacer Deanne Panya in partnership with his aunt and Tamworth resident Gina Ostle.
Deanne Panya has had three race starts for three wins for Ison and Ostle in Australia since the pair purchased the mare out of NZ - two at Newcastle and one at Tamworth.
With five heats of the Multiquip Golden Guitar to be staged on Sunday evening at the Tamworth Paceway, leading into the Group 2 $50,000 final, Deanne Panya has drawn the pole in the second heat.
"There are a few nice horses in the race," said Ison who has his boss Roy Roots Jnr. training the mare at his Peats Ridge establishment.
"It is one of the more solid heats but it is the luck of the draw in these races."
Having driven over 100 winners himself, including success at Menangle, a Golden Guitar win on his former home track would be the greatest thrill of all for Ison.
"It is good for the Tamworth Club to have a Group 2 race - and the race itself has proven that it will draw horses from everywhere," he said.
The heats have attracted runners from Queensland, Sydney, Bathurst, and the Hunter Valley as well as local contenders.
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Deanne Panya - a four year old McArdle-Lady Toddy mare - will come up against some impeccable performers such as Sadhana from the Kerry McDowell stables in Sydney from the two barrier. Clayton Harmey has the locally-owned Tralee Rocks from his Hunter Valley base who has drawn the three barrier.
Bathurst trainer Amanda Turnbull has Obi One in the six barrier while Blake Fitzpatrick has Leonidas from the nine barrier.
Deanne Panya's three wins on the trot have all been clocked in sub two minutes, from nine starts in her racing career.
"She just popped up at the right time," Ison said.
"Her first win at Newcastle was a solid effort - that win took a lot of heart."
"The win at Tamworth was incredible - and cruising to a 30-metre win."
"Her last win at Newcastle was a nice win as well."
Deanne Panya covered the 2030 metre journey at Newcastle with a mile rate of 1.59.3, and a 31-metre win back on January 13.
For Ostle, she has placed her faith in her nephew Tom and is enjoying her first "dabble" with the horses.
"Tom said he had found this horse so I said "let's do it," she said of the purchase.
"She is a little pocket rocket and she is adorable."
Ison will also partner Sheeza Malteeza in the Multiquip Engineering Heat 3 for trainer Barry Matterson, and Alabama Shakes in the Multiquip Aggregates Heat 4 and Yayas Hot Heart in the Multiquip Poultry Golden Guitar Heat 5 for Roy Roots Jnr.
He will also feature in the $12,000 Final of the Hygain Star Maker Three-Year-Old Pace, with Hez The Warrior, who finished third to My Ultimate Star in the Prelude conducted on Wednesday.
