Tom Ison: Reinsman follows Tamworth wins with victories at Newcastle

Ison produced four winning drives at the Thursday afternoon Tamworth meeting, with two wins for his father, Andy, behind Overthemoon and Shadow Pass.

He also picked up a victory for Tamworth trainer Brendan James, behind Famous Three, and for the Roy Roots jnr-trained The Big Dig.

He then escaped unscathed after being tipped from the gig behind Balboa Shannon.

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Hunter Valley reinsman Bevan Pringle received a 28-day suspension for his involvement in the incident.

At the same meeting, Ison achieved four seconds - before heading to the Newcastle meeting on Friday night and producing another three winning drives.

Ison teamed with Roots jnr stables in producing a win in the opening event, behind $1.70 favourite Surfers Delight.

That was followed by the triumph of The Black Prince, the $1.22 favourite, with the six-year-old gelding having his first win since taking out the Group 1 Newcastle Mile in February.

The third win on the program came courtesy of the Mark Callaghan-trained Sky Diamond, the $1.22 favourite.

Ison has secured nine drives at the Newcastle meeting on Friday night.

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Reinsman Blake Hughes, who has relocated back to the Hunter Valley, also featured at the Tamworth meeting last Thursday.

He drove a winning double, which kicked off in the opening event with Blissfull Identity, who is trained at Gunnedah by Michael Finlay and paid $6.50 for the win.

The six-year-old Blissful Hall gelding notched his first career victory, at race start 31, and is raced by Finlay's wife, Deborah.

Blissful Identity put in a tough run racing outside race leader Pats Pride (Anthony Varga), before having a half-head win over Im Freya (Tom Ison). Pat's Pride was 20 metres away in third place.

Hughes then continued his impeccable association with the Stuart Glasby-trained Redbank Olivia, who secured her eighth career win in taking out the R U OK Day-Ask Them Today Pace. Hughes held the reins behind Redbank Olivia in securing four wins from five drives.

The seven-year-old Courage Under Fire mare commenced from the one barrier, with Hughes gaining the lead and setting the race tempo, before slipping away from the field at the 400m mark to have a 15.8m win over Faiselle (Tom Ison).

Maywyns Honey (Danny Mackney) was a further 9.4m away in third place. The mile rate was 1min 57.3sec for the 1609m.

One punter placed a $5,000 bet on Redbank Olivia at 1.85.

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Another local winner at last week's Tamworth meeting was Ark, from the Richard Williams Stable. Driven by Brad Elder in the R U OK Day-Listen To Assist Day Pace, Ark had a two-metre win over Our Roy's Dream (Tom Ison). Cronin (Maddison Simon) was a half neck away in third place.

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The Williams stables this week celebrated the beginning of the new breeding season with the arrival of a filly to their retired pacer Jaspers Ayr - sired by Lombo Pocket Watch.

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The Wagga meeting last Friday had great draw cards in the final race, including a couple of Group 1 winners. But it was Tamworth-owned Star Major who took line honours for the York family of Tamworth.

Trained by James Rattray, Star Major produced a six-metre win over stablemate Ignatius. The Brad Hewitt-trained and driven Send It was six metres away in third place.

Star Major produced his 10th career win, in a mile rate of 1.50.3 for the 1740m.

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