Kid Montana places second at Newcastle meeting

Narrabri was represented at Saturday evening’s Newcastle Harness Racing Club TAB meeting as the Peter Shepherdson-trained Kid Montana travelled to race.

The five-year-old gelding raced for the 63rd time when he took part in the fifth race of the evening which was the 2030-metre Coca Cola pace.

Kid Montana was driven by Brad Elder and started the race out of the number 10 barrier on the second row.

The in-form pacer, owned by Narrabri’s Nathan and Charles Dicks, Peter, Chris and Garry Shepherdson and Neil Drysdale, placed second on the night.

He was beaten by the race’s $2.10 favourite Lacey’s Lad which was driven by Jack Callaghan for trainer Mark Callaghan and started from the front row out wearing the number four saddlecloth.

Lacey’s Lad established an early lead, while Kid Montana’s second row start meant that when he ran past the home post for the first time he was sitting seventh in the field of nine.

But as the pacers rolled into the back straight Kid Montana charged from seventh into first position in a matter of seconds after Elder made a mid-race move to get the Narrabri pacer into a favourable position.

When the bell sounded to indicate that there was just one 932-metre lap left to run Kid Montana was still the frontrunner, then with 400 metres remaining he continued to lead the race but was followed closely by Lacey’s Lad.

The Narrabri pacer left the final turn out in front but Lacey’s Lad charged home strongest down the home straight, overtaking Kid Montana and going on to secure a 7.4-metre victory.

The Clayton Harmey, trained, Joshua Osborn-driven Wet My Whistle also stormed home strongly but could not get past Kid Montana and finished third.

Kid Montana’s second-placed finish earned the gelding $1170 in prizemoney which took his total career earnings to $118,388.

He has won 23 times, placed second eight times and finished third seven times, meaning he has run to a top three finish in 60 per cent of his total career races.

Meanwhile in other harness racing news, 10 Narrabri-trained pacers have been listed to run at the Tamworth Paceway on Thursday when the Tamworth Harness Racing Club hosts an Anzac Day meeting.

Seven of those are Jarred Hetherington-trained pacers.

Night Lights will be driven by Mick Formosa in race three at the Tamworth Paceway’s first meeting since that pair combined for a win at the track on Easter Monday.

That is the Last Post Pace, then in the Lest We Forget Pace in race five Hetherington’s Bettor Getta Lover will also be driven by Formosa.

Race seven is the Landing of Gallipoli Pace which will see Hetherington’s Corporal Luna and Padrisimo both compete, driven by Jake Hughes and Formosa respectively.

Then in race eight, the Sky Racing Active Pace, three Hetherington-trained pacers will run. They are Broken Ark to be driven by Formosa, Unicho Enchantress, to be driven by Brendan James, and Sir Macador to be driven by Hughes.

There will also be three Shepherdson-trained pacers in action on the day which will all be driven by Chris Shepherdson.

The Garry Shepherdson-trained pacers Future Fun and Sumthiun Special will be in action in race six, the Flanders Fields Pace, and race seven, the Landing of Gallipoli Pace respectively.

Then in race eight, the Sky Racing Active Pace, the Peter Shepherdson-trained Capital Cullect will run.

All eight races on the day will be contested across a 1980-metre distance.