Narrabri pacer Killara Insanity races to victory in Tamworth

Narrabri-trained-and-owned pacer Killara Insanity was driven to a remarkable victory by local reinsman Chris Shepherdson at the Tamworth Paceway on Thursday.

The five-year-old gelding, owned by Neil Drysdale and Chris, Garry and Peter Shepherdson, started the race from the back row wearing the number 10 saddlecloth in the third race of the day.

In what was the 1609-metre Carpet One Floor and Home Tamworth Pace (NR up to 45), the Garry Shepherdson-trained Killara Insanity raced for the 20th time since joining the Narrabri stable late last year.

In that time, he has won three races to go with two second-placed finishes and a third-placed finish.

On Thursday, he occupied either eighth or seventh place at the back of the pack for the entire opening lap.

He was running on the inside lane when the field of 10 entered the final circuit, then with 500 metres left to run, space opened up and the gelding took off.

He charged into the final turn in fourth place and despite being four wide, outside the leading trio which
included the Scotty-Jon Welsh-trained-and-driven Stilton, the

Danny Mackney-trained-and-driven Maywyn’s Honey and the Michael Formosa-trained-and-driven Sneaky Peak, he managed to race home quickest.

The race’s favourite, Stilton, was forced to settle for fourth, while Maywyn’s Honey finished eight metres back from Killara Insanity in third place.

The Narrabri pacer claimed the $4536 top prize after beating Sneaky Peak by a neck following an entertaining battle down the home straight for first place.

Also involved in that race was the Jarred Hetherington-trained gelding Theagenes which started one in from pole position wearing the number two.

Driven by Murray Sullivan, the Hetherington-trained pacer finished eighth, 14 metres behind the winner.

In the fourth race of the day, which was the 1609-metre Portable Horse Stables Ladyship Pace for mares (NR up to 50), three Narrabri-trained pacers were in action.

The Peter Shepherdson-trained Yellow Bow was driven to a fourth-placed finish by Chris Shepherdson after starting widest on the front row wearing the number six.

Two Hetherington-trained pacers also took part in the race. Miss Maravu, driven by Anthony Varga, and Sahara Jewel, driven by driven by Murray Sullivan, started side-by-side from the back row and finished fifth and sixth respectively.

The last Narrabri pacer to compete at the Tamworth meeting was the Peter Shepherdson-trained Gojoe. Gojoe was driven by Chris Shepherdson in race five, the 1609-metre Pub Group Tamworth Pace (NR up to 53). The gelding started the race from the three barrier and finished eighth among a field of 10.