Tamworth's $40,000 Multiquip Golden Guitar Final has been run and won by Queensland pacer Surf Ace with the five-year-old gelding making a clean sweep of the series after winning his heat the Sunday prior.
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After setting a new track record in the heat win of 1.55.8 for the1980m, Surf Ace produced a mile rate of 1.57.9 to win the final.
"I won a Tamworth Cup one year with Better Than Max but that was my first drive in a Golden Guitar final," Surf Ace's Queensland reinsman Brendan Barnes said.
"I think I will bow out now on that note," he added jokingly.
"I will retain the 100 per cent strike rate."
Barnes was taking the reins behind Surf Ace for Queensland trainer Graham Dwyer.
"The horse felt good in the race and there was a lot happening in the race," Barnes said.
"But he kept travelling along nicely - he didn't use up to much energy."
"His run in the heat win was super and he was a little bit underdone in the Nugget race but Graham had him cherry ripe in the final."
Surf Ace finished second to stable-mate Hy Voltage in the Pub Group Gold Nugget.
Commencing from the nine barrier in the Golden Guitar Final, Barnes was watching as the race unfolded up ahead while he raced four back in the outside running line with Surf Ace.
On barrier rise Tamworth pacer Metallica Man (Tom Ison) went straight to the lead from the four barrier before stepping out of gear on the first turn which saw the old warhorse at 10 years of age and fellow Tamworth pacer Gottashopearly (Blake Hughes) take the lead and dictate the terms.
A mid race move three wide from reinsman Dean Chapple with Promising saw them eventually racing out in the breeze.
Quarters were covered in 29.9 seconds for the first quarter; 29.2 for the second; 29.5 for the third and 30.7 for the final quarter.
"I was hoping we didn't have to go too early," Barnes said.
"And that we were the ones to make the first move from the back."
"We had to travel a lot wider earlier than we would have liked to."
Surf Ace who has become known for his sprinting ability reeled in the field in the back straight on the final occasion before travelling four wide around the final turn.
"I thought we were a bit vulnerable in the home straight," Barnes said.
"But the horse travelled nice and he just kept giving - he was very brave."
Surf Ace took the feature race by 1.4m over One for The Rodi (Michael Formosa) who had taken the trail into the race behind Surf Ace before racing five wide on the final turn.
Bathurst pacer Promising, trained by Bernie Hewitt finished 3.4 metres away third.
Race favourite at $3.00 My Ultimate Skeeta (Cameron Hart) from the Jarrod Alchin stables finished fifth.
"I have won a Group 1 race before but these races are never easy to win so you take them while you can," added 25 year old Barnes.
"It is a brilliant carnival at Tamworth - they get a big crowd and they are backed by good trainers."
"The race (Golden Guitar) is on every trainers radar as they want to win the race."
"Michael (Formosa) congratulated me straight away on the track as the other drivers know how it is a hard track to win on and a hard race as well."
"Full credit must go to Graham (Dwyer) for his training as he had the horse right where he needed to be."
The night stepped off on the right note for both trainer and driver when Dwyer and Barnes combined to win the $11,000 Multiquip Transport Golden Guitar Consolation with Despondent.
In a very close finish Despondent had a half head win over Heavenly Sign (Jemma Coney) with Unsulky (Bake Hughes) 3.2 metres away third with a mile rate of 1.56.9 for the 1980m.
"The finish was a little bit too close but the horse went super," Barnes said.
For Dwyer it was his best effort yet at a Tamworth January racing carnival; training a trifecta in the Gold Nugget with Despondent finishing third behind Hy Voltage and Surf Ace, then winning a heat of the Golden Guitar and then both the Final and Consolation.
