Two Narrabri pacers win at Tamworth meeting

Two Narrabri-trained pacers raced to victory at the Tamworth Paceway on Sunday evening.

In a perfect start and finish for Narrabri, the Jarred Hetherington-trained Broken Ark won the first race of the evening before the Garry Shepherdson-trained, Chris Shepherdson-driven Tralee Chic was victorious in the last.

A third Narrabri-trained pacer almost secured a victory, but the Hetherington-trained Night Lights was forced to settle for second in the seventh race of the night.

The meeting began in fine fashion with Broken Ark winning by the narrowest of margins in a photo finish where he edged out the Anthony Missen-trained, Tom Ison-driven I’m So Better.

In the 1980-metre TAB odds and Evens pace (NR up to 55) Broken Ark was driven by Mick Formosa and started the race from the number 10 barrier on the second row.

The three-year-old gelding won by a nose from I’m So Better to claim the race’s $2080 top prizemoney.

The victory was his fourth in 22 career starts, and this season he has now raced 13 times for three wins, two second-placed finishes and three third-placed finishes.

Tralee Chic’s win was also a close one as she ran past the finish post just one metre in front of the Timothy Varga-trained-and-driven Prince Of Payne in the 1980-metre The Pub – Drive of the Day Pace (No NR).

The the four-year-old mare, trained by Garry Shepherdson, started the race from pole position and was driven by local reinsman and part owner Chris Shepherdson.

The victory was her first in 28 career starts and saw her earn the race’s $2080 top prizemoney.

Tralee Chic is owned by Peter, Garry and Chris Shepherdson, Neil Drysdale and Charles and Nathan Dicks for whom she has now raced three times including a second-placed finish and a win.

In race seven, which was the 1980-metre Tamworth Veterinary Hospital Pace (NR up to 47) Night Lights started from the number nine barrier on the second line and was driven by Formosa.

The New Zealand-bred mare lined up for her sixth start for Hetherington and went in search of her fifth win for the Narrabri trainer since arriving in Australia earlier this year.

However, Night Lights was forced to settle for second after the Les Enks-trained, Anthony Varga-driven pole position starter Groovy Shannon claimed an 8.8-metre win.

There were five more Narrabri pacers in action at that meeting at Tamworth on Sunday.

Three of those lined up in race two which was the 1980-metre Hygain Release Pace (NR up to 55).

They were the Hetherington-trained, Mick Formosa-driven Bettor Getta Lover, the Garry Shepherdson-trained, Chris Shepherdson-driven Future Fun and the Hetherington-trained, Leigh Sutton-driven Unico Enchantress which ran home fifth, seventh and eighth respectively.

Then in race three the Peter Shepherdson-trained Capital Cullect was driven by Chris Shepherdson to fourth in what was the 1980-metre Wests Entertainment Group Pace (NR up to 65).

In the fourth race of the evening, the 1980-metre Frans Fresh Food Pace (NR up to 65), the Hetherington-trained Sir Macador started from the number three barrier and was driven to a seventh-placed finish by Formosa.