Keeping Pace: Monellina will be in action at Armidale's Carnival of Cups on Sunday

Monellina, in her sixth run back from a spell, secured her second career win in her last start and has drawn the 11 barrier in the Armidale HRC Bill Barraclough and Kevin Ward Memorial Pace on Sunday.

"She is going very well at the moment - very proud of her," said Welsh after last week's Armidale win.

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"We were in a bit of trouble after the start - she got a check in running - but she regrouped and wanted to race away halfway through the race ... she just kept fighting on for us."

After commencing from the eight barrier, Monellina raced three back on the outside running line, before Welsh secured safe passage down the home straight to record a neck win over A Good Ideal (Tom Ison).

Toinfinityandbeyond (Rodney Atkins) was 16.5m away in third place.

The memorial race is in honour of two late members of the AHRC, with the winner receiving a gig as the trophy.

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The Armidale Cup is shaping up as a classy race and former Armidale resident Ernie Mabbott should be pleased after drawing the one barrier with Thundamental, who will be driven by Grace Panella.

Four-year-old Thundamental, a Live or Die gelding, is in his first season of racing and has achieved four wins and a second from seven race starts, with the last win coming at Armidale last Sunday.

"The horse keeps showing more and more all the time," Panella said.

"He did a little bit of work to get to the front today [Sunday] and proved too good in the end."

The 2022 Tamworth City Cup and Gold Nugget winner Portalegre, from the Clayton Harmey stables, will commence from the seven barrier in the Armidale Cup.

The 2019 Tamworth Cup winner Gottashopearly will commence from the three barrier.

Last month's winner of the Billy Grima Memorial at Tamworth, Overthemoon, will commence from the five barrier.

Clintal Do, from the Queensland stables of Dayl March, will be looking to pick up his fourth feature win at Armidale and is a past winner of the Armidale Cup.

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In her Armidale debut last Sunday, Hunter Valley reinswoman Panella secured three winners - two for her boss Clayton Harmey (Ollies Molly and Western Ricki) and one for Tamworth trainer Ernie Mabbott (Thundmental).

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