Tom Ison: Gun reinsman pulls himself back into gig after being tipped out

Ison had nine drives at Tamworth Paceway on Thursday afternoon and recorded four wins and four second placings, before being tipped from the gig in the final race and hanging on for dear life.

It was in the $10,000 NSW Breeders Challenge 3yo Colts and Geldings Heat that Ison was tipped from the gig of last-start winner Balboa Shannon, trained by Brendan Hunt at Quirindi.

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The incident occurred after Ison collided with the Grace Panella-driven Skyfall Andy.

The gun reinsman hit the track surface but had the presence of mind to hold onto the reins, before quickly pulling himself back into the gig and retiring Balboa Shannon from the race.

He said: "I try to keep myself pretty fit, and it is not the first time that I have been tipped out and pulled myself back into the gig. That would be about the sixth time."

He added: "In hindsight, I could have been run over and been in a hospital bed. But it is just a natural instinct for me to hang onto the reins and the horse so they are not injured as well."

Panella was also tipped from the gig - with the clerk of the course, respected Inverell horseman Col Mather, collecting Skyfall Andy, who was retired from the race.

Ison said: "The first thing I thought of was my gig - I just had it repainted. I had had four wins and four seconds, and then the fall just ruined the day.

"It was a racing incident but it is not something that you want to happen. Both horses were fine, and Grace and myself got away with just a couple of scratches.

Two of Ison's wins came via the Brendan James-trained Famous Three and the Roy Roots jnr -trained The Big Dig.

The other two wins were behind Overthemoon and Shadow Pass, who are trained by his father, Andy.

"I thought a few of my drives would go all right but didn't think the day would turn out as well as it did," Ison said.

Last month, Ison revealed that he returned to Tamworth this year after driving for the Central Mangrove stables of prominent trainer Roy Roots jnr became too much.

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