Ken Natty owned-and-trained Diesel Don wins Old Boys Day Pace at Tamworth Harness Racing Club's Old Boys Day

So it was only fitting that Tamworth trainer Ken Natty secured a win at the meeting.

Natty, himself a respected Tamworth trainer and former reinsman, owns and trains Diesel Don who aptly won the Old Boys Day Pace by two metres over Cronin (Maddison Simon) with Big Beat (Courtney Sutherland) a further 2.5 metres away third.

Another "old boy" in Len Simon filled the minor placings, training both Cronin and Big Beat.

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Maitland reinsman Brad Elder handled the reins behind Diesel Don, who was having his first start since November 2020.

"I hadn't driven the horse before and his form on paper wasn't all that great," Elder said.

"But Ken gave me a lot of confidence about the horse - he said if the horse leads, he would be hard to beat."

Elder utilised the three barrier well, taking Diesel Don straight to the lead and dictating terms out in the lead with quarters of 32.4 seconds; 29.4 seconds; 28.9 seconds and 31.7 seconds for a mile rate of 2.00.7.

"There wasn't too much pressure and he was running along a bit," Elder said.

"The second quarter I let him slide and he broke their hearts."

"It is a pretty good mile rate," he added "I think he will win a few more races"

"Ken said that the horse trialled good last week and you only have to look at the horse - he is really healthy and fit and he got the job done."

For Natty, he was pleased to be back in the winner's circle and see the nice style that the former Victorian pacer won in.

"It's great to win a race on Old Boys Day," chimed Natty.

"I can head up now and have a drink with a few of the boys."

"The horse has had six weeks off and to run two minutes for the 1980 metres is not a bad run at all."

"He is a nice horse and beautifully put together"

Elder then took the reins behind All Whitey Then, trained at the Tamworth Paceway by Richard Williams to notch up a win in the Kennards Hire Tamworth Pace, giving Elder a driving double for the day.

"I have never driven this horse before either and he led on his ear," Elder said of the five-year-old grey gelding.

"He did it pretty easy to lead and he just kept on kicking and got the cash."

All Whitey Then held a 1.3 metre win over Rolamax (Blake Hughes) with Montana Nights (Chris Shepherdson) a further 3 metres away third with a mile rate of 1.59.7 for 1609 metres.

It was also a good day for Williams who trained a winning double at the meeting with It Ain't Royal securing a win earlier in the day with inform reinsman Tom Ison taking the reins.

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