Amanda Turnbull: Bathurst trainer-reinswoman has two horses in Golden Guitar Final

And come this Sunday evening, the granddaughter of harness racing legend, AD Turnbull, will attempt to claim her first Golden Guitar Final.

After finishing second in the 2020 Golden Guitar Final with Obi One, beaten a half head by Wet My Whistle from the Clayton Harmey stables, Turnbull has returned to Tamworth with Balducci and Lifeofbrian.

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Balducci commenced as the $1.40 race favourite in taking out the Multiquip Engineering Golden Guitar Heat 3 last Sunday.

"I was really happy with his run," Turnbull said.

"He had a little freshen-up since his last start because he had raced so much, but he needed the run."

The Mach Three-Tilly Bromac four-year-old certainly has some depth in his performances.

And in 10 race starts, he has produced five wins and five placings.

Starting with a back-row draw of barrier 10 in the third heat last Sunday, Turnbull had to be content to sit at the tail of the field while another Bathurst runner, Ziggy Rocks (Mat Rue), took up the lead.

Making a four-wide run around the field, Turnbull worked Balducci forward two laps out from the finish and raced outside Ziggy Rocks.

Balducci had a 1.6m win over Battle Chimes, from the Cameron Davies stables, with Ziggy Rocks a metre away in third place.

"That is how he (Balducci) likes to be driven and Ziggy Rocks had done a fair bit of work early in the race," Turnbull said.

"Balducci is a tough horse so hopefully he draws good enough in the final to be able to get outside the leader, and then he will keep whacking away."

Balducci stablemate Lifeofbrian qualified for the $30,000 Multiquip Golden Guitar Final by finishing second to Rocknlachlan in the second heat last Sunday.

Battle Chimes is also in good form after finishing second to Marty Major in the recent Pub Group Gold Nugget at Tamworth.

Battle Chimes was also a heat winner in last year's Golden Guitar series before finishing third in the final.