Keeping {Pace: Lester Johnson drives winner in Tamworth trial

Lester had a few drives back in the 1990s, and has kept his hand in by helping out at the Len Simon stables.

He was rewarded with the drive behind Big Beat, who raced home for a head win over Nor Westa (Dean Chapple). Britney Jane (Jemma Coney) was third.

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Lester does not miss a harness meeting and taking a look back through the chronicles revealed that he drove a winner behind Confederate Lad at Narrabri in 1993.

Confederate Lad was trained by Peter Bullock, who is now based at Bathurst. It was interesting to see that the race prizemoney was $1,000.

Good on you, Lester!

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A few Tamworth trainers are heading to the Newcastle meeting on Friday night, with the Richard Williams stables looking for back-to-back success with All Whitey Then, who greeted the judge after an all-the-way win at last Monday's Newcastle meeting.

Driven by Tamworth reinsman Tom Ison, All Whitey Then covered the 1609m journey in a mile rate of 1min 55.1sec.

Williams will have five runners engaged at the Newcastle meeting - including Rocknroll Rhylee, Amused, Miss Serendipity and It Aint Royal.

He will be joined by fellow Tamworth trainers Dwayne Brown (Mac Almighty), Scotty Jon Welsh (Attahua Ace and Monellina) and Caitlin McElhinney (Wotnow Swanee), whilst reinsmen Blake Hughes and Tom Ison will be joined by Sarah Rushbrook in the hope of returning home with some winning drives.

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Cessnock trainer Stacie Elliot is a great supporter of Tamworth meetings and on some occasions has had seven runners in the one race!

The July 22 meeting at Tamworth saw Stacie train the first three placegetters in the opening event - with Itz Exceptional, driven by Rushbrook, having a win over stablemates Ashincharge (Bevan Pringle) and Advanced Warfare (Jake Hughes).

The first race on the program at last week's meeting at Tamworth also saw the Elliott stables feature again when her runner Our Bushwacker, driven by Rushbrook, was involved in a dead heat for first place with Major Noah William (Dean Chapple).

"To get the money was a good consolation," said Chapple. "I have been keeping my eye on this horse for a while now."

Major Noah is a Hunter Valley pacer trained by Greg Frazer.

Chapple picked up another winner at the meeting via the Les Enks-trained Peggy Sue Shannon.

Last week's Tamworth meeting saw Go Joe, from the Peter Shepherdson stables, pick up his first win for the Narrabri stables. The former Queensland pacer has had six starts since June for four seconds and a win.

"We are still working the horse out," said Shepherdson.

Last week's Tamworth meeting saw three pacers make it back-to-back wins:

Tamworth trainer Ernie Mabbott's Tralee Rocks took out the Millenium Signs Pace with a mile rate of 1.58.6 for 1609m, with Jake Hughes taking the reins.

Redbank Olivia, from the Stuart Glasby stables, took out the Golden Guitar Paceway Tamworth Pace. The horse's driver, Blake Hughes, secured a driving double at the meeting after guiding the Tony Missen-trained Im So Better to a nice win.

Former Western Australia pacer McKinley made it back-to-back wins for trainer and reinsman Scotty Jon Welsh.

Harness racing will return to Tamworth next Thursday.

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