Tamworth harness meetings always present spectacular races but the meetings also reveal a lot of talent in the driving ranks, with last week's meeting no exception.
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That was especially the case in the junior driving ranks, with brothers Jake and Blake Hughes and Tom Ison all driving winning doubles.
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Newly established in Tamworth from the Hunter Valley, Blake Hughes notched his first driving double since that move, after accepting the Multiquip Drivers Premiership for the 2019/2020 season at the Tamworth Harness Racing Club's awards night.
Hughes first win was behind I'm So Better, for the Tony Missen stables, with the five-year-old Bettors Delight-Goin Off mare now heading to Menangle after taking out the Club Menangle Country Series Heat with a mile rate of 1min 57.5sec for 1609m.
Striding out nicely in the breeze, with Milwaukee Strider (Leigh Sutton) leading the field, Hughes elected to make his move behind the $2.90 race favourite I'm So Better in the back straight, to come away for a 6.9m win over Manly Boy (Jake Hughes). Our Madiba (Mark Callaghan) finishing another metre behind in third place.
In the next race, Hughes drove the Greg Coney-trained Betterthanspraying to a three-metre win over Right On With It (Den Chapple), with Alliyahs Choice (Madi Young) finishing third.
Hughes took Betterthanspraying four wide at the final turn to take out the Hygain Micrspeed Pace.
Hughes' older brother Jake picked up his driving double after first piloting Roll With Annie to a win for Cessnock trainer Stacie Elliott.
Roll With Annie is part-owned by Anita Ferrier. It is the first horse Ferrier has owned and it was her first winner as an owner.
In a big effort after commencing from the eight barrier, Roll With Annie went on for a three-metre win over Listen To Lexy (Leigh Sutton). Sunny Town (Lily Hosking) finished third in the Club Contribution-Mal Trudgett Pace.
Jake Hughes then picked up his second win for the day behind the Ernie Mabbott-trained Got The Scoop in the North West Contribution-Peter Shepherdson Pace. Got The Scoop finished eight metres in front of Wotnow Swanee (Tom Ison), with Mammals Destiny (Brad Elder) finishing third.
Tom Ison's first win was behind the Tim Varga-trained Shadow Pass in the Club Appreciation Pace.
Leading all the way, Shadow Pass pulled away for a 14.5m win over Neville Shannon (Dean Chapple), with Classic Arc (Bevan Pringle) finishing third. Shadow Pass covered the 1609m in 1.58.0.
Ison then drove the Richard Williams-trained Glenavril Girl to victory. The horse paid $21 for the win after beating Montana Nights (Chris Shepherdson) by five metres. Power To Bolt (Caitlin McElhinney) came third. Glenavril Girl covered the 1609m in 1.58.8
At the eight-race meeting, seven winners were trained by locals including Dean Chapple.
Don't Tell Dorothy, who comes from Chapple's own stable, had a 22m win in the Young Archivers Award-Madi Young Pace, while Jamie Donovan enjoyed the win of Rippin Good Feelin. It was the gelding's first from eight race starts.
Harness racing will be staged in Tamworth on December 3, 17 and 23 (a night meeting) before the club heads into the January Racing Carnival.