Hetherington pacers impress as harness racing returns to Narrabri

Harness racing made a highly-anticipated return to Narrabri on Easter Sunday as a large crowd turned out to watch the action unfold at the Narrabri Showground track.

It was another memorable day for local trainer Jarred Hetherington, who celebrated a win, four second-place finishes and two third-place finishes across the seven-race program on his home track.

With podium finishes in six races and five pacers qualifying for finals at this Sunday’s second local meeting, Hetherington once again proved why he is regarded as one of the region’s most respected trainers.

The 48-year-old Narrabri man told The Courier it was an enjoyable day and he praised the Narrabri Harness Racing Club’s committee for their efforts.

“It was a really good meeting, and there was a good-sized crowd there considering it was Easter Sunday,” Hetherington said.

“There was some good racing and the track held up really well.

“It’s a credit to the committee there, who I think do an incredible job. The Shepherdson family especially; without them and what they do, there would be no trots here in Narrabri.”

Hetherington also praised reinsmen Anthony Varga and Mick Formosa, who drove all but one of the seven Narrabri podium-getters across the afternoon.

“Mick and Anthony drive for me all the time and I’m pretty privileged to be able to get them on,” the Narrabri trainer said.

“Mick is a group one winning driver and Vargs I reckon is one of the most underrated drivers that you’ll come across.

“They both gave everything in every possible opportunity. They did a great job.”

The first race of the day on Sunday was the 1760-metre Max Orman 3D Paints and Gordon Roadways pace, in which Formosa was on board the Hetherington-trained Frozen Jewel and drove her to a second-placed finish.

The seven-year-old mare started the race from pole position and finished five metres adrift of the Darren Elder-trained, Brad Elder-driven favourite Tough Talks.

Formosa then went one better in the second race as he drove Ultimate Empire to victory in the 1760-metre Richards Steelyard Metaland and CL Dickinson John and Beryl Dean Memorial first heat, but that was with one of the two pacers he had brought with him to Narrabri.

It was another podium finish in that race for Hetherington as Varga drove Betabro to a photo finish second place in the six-year-old gelding’s first start since joining the Narrabri stables.

Hetherington then oversaw his first winner of the Narrabri meetings in race three as Varga drove Limousine Tommy to victory in the 1760-metre Western Namoi Vet Services and Tattersalls Hotel John and Beryl Dean Memorial second heat.

That result was a special one for the Hetherington family, with the three-year-old gelding bred and owned by Jarred’s father Wayne.

It was only his second start after he debuted with a seventh-placed finish in Menangle last year in August, and he produced an explosive run down the final straight to get the job done.

Wayne Hetherington and Anthony Varga at the Narrabri Showground on Sunday following Limousine Tommy’s maiden victory. Photo: Coffee Photography and Framing

Limousine Tommy started the race one in from pole position and he charged out to an early lead alongside stablemate Dancin With Lush, who was the favourite in the number five saddlecloth and was driven by Blake Hughes. They were still first and second with one circuit left to run, and the Tom Ison-trained-and-driven Cinnamon was also in close contention.

Dancin With Lush and Cinnamon went around the final turn as the frontrunners as Limousine Tommy and Varga struggled to find any racing room, but the inside lane then quickly opened up as they straightened and the gelding charged past Dancin With Lush and stormed home to a narrow victory.

Cinnamon was forced to settle for second place in a photo finish and Dancin With Lush secured a third-place finish as the five-year-old mare ran past the post three metres back from her stablemate.

Another Hetherington-owned-and-bred pacer earned a podium finish in race four as Formosa drove Limousine Cheeky to third in the 2160-metre Narrabri Farm Centre and Tapscotts Service Station Santos Cup first heat.

The six-year-old mare ran home 13 metres behind the Ison-trained-and-driven winner Otis Rising.

The fifth race of the day provided the closest finish of the afternoon as Ison secured his second victory and another Hetherington-trained pacer raced to a second-place finish.

Hetherington’s Rippin Rupert and Ison’s Lucky Beach Boy both started from the second row and were two of the three pacers that were widest as they entered the final straight. Ison and Lucky Beach Boy were closest to the fence as they charged towards the post and they hit it inches ahead of Rippin Rupert as the 2160-metre Namoi Hotel and Bottleshop and Kellys Car Sales Santos Cup heat two ended in a photo finish.

Race six was the 2160-metre J and H Windscreens and CGJ Aluminium and Glass Santos Cup third heat and it was won by the Jamie Donovan-trained, Caitlin McElhinney-driven Rainbow Jet as no Hetherington-trained pacer secured a top-three finish for this first time that day.

However, the local trainer oversaw his fourth second-place finish in the seventh and final race of the day as Formosa drove nine-year-old gelding Rock Firsherman to a near win. The Jamie Donovan-trained, Blake Hughes-driven favourite Fast Tracker prevailed in that race by two metres from the Narrabri pacer to win the 2560-metre Daisy Water Carrier 2025 Raymond Shepherdson Memorial.

While the event was an impressive one for the Narrabri club, it was not as favourable results-wise for the local Shepherdson stable as four of their five pacers finished either second last or last, with the other one running home fourth.

This Sunday’s harness racing meet at Narrabri Showground will feature the John and Beryl Dean Memorial and Santos Cup finals as well as the 2560-metre Narrabri Cup and several other races.