The seventh and final race of Narrabri Harness Racing Club’s Easter meeting was always going to be a special one on Sunday, with the life of the late club president Peter Shepherdson to be honoured in a memorial race alongside his late brother Raymond at the Narrabri Showground.
However, what unfolded was truly remarkable as Warral trainer/driver Tom Ison and his nine-year-old gelding Arnies Army broke the Narrabri 2160-metre track record that had stood since 2015.
Arnies Army started the Daisy’s Water Carrier Peter and Raymond Shepherdson Memorial race as the $1.95 favourite from the number eight barrier on the second row, one in from the horse behind pole position, and the duo started well to sit fifth out of nine pacers as they left four behind.
They got into the one one position going around the first turn into the home straight and they had joined the Jarred Hetherington-trained, Anthony Varga-driven Narrabri pacer Laurie Dee at the front when they went past the finish post for the first of three times.
Those two pacers maintained their positions around the entire 805-metre circuit and they were still neck and neck out in front when the bell sounded to signal one more lap.
It was not until they came out of the back straight that Ison and Arnies Army made their move and left Laurie Dee and his stablemate Topsies Bling, who was driven by Blake Medlyn for Hetherington, well behind.
The Dwayne Brown-trained, Tanner Brown-driven Last Time Joe charged around the final turn past the two Narrabri pacers to enter the final straight in second place, but despite a strong finish, it was Arnies Army who charged home to victory to set a 2160-metre course record with an impressive mile rate of 1:58.5.
That run broke a record that had stood strong for more than 11 years after being set on March 7 of 2015.
Clinching the third podium position was the Ison-trained Escalera, who was driven by Tom’s brother Sam and edged out the fourth-placed Topsies Bling and fifth-placed Laurie Dee close to the line.
Local reinsman and Narrabri Harness Racing Club’s Chris Shepherdson was part of that race as he drove the Hetherington-trained Rock Fisherman to a seventh-place finish.
He told The Courier it was special to feature in a race to honour his uncles, and thought that Ison’s drive was an impressive one.
“It was a credit to the people who do the track. It really shows that it’s up to par and doing well, and it shows the quality of horse we are getting here at the moment,” Shepherdson added.
“I was lucky enough to get a drive in that race. It was nice to show respect for Peter and Raymond and the hard work they’ve done over the years for a really long time. To put something on to remember them was really good.”
Shepherdson said he thought that Sunday’s meeting was an enjoyable and successful one, and he is hopeful that this Sunday’s second meeting will be even better.
“It was a really, really good day. We had a good crowd turn up for Easter Sunday, and I think it was one of our bigger crowds that we’ve had there for a little while,” he said.
“It was a great atmosphere with all the people on-course watching, and it was good for the town to get behind us.
“There was some really competitive racing and some quick times run on the day. The last race broke the track record and there was just some good racing overall.
“Normally our second meeting is always our bigger meeting, so if this Sunday is bigger than Easter Sunday, it’s going to be a great day.
“It will be a family-friendly day, and to get a lot of people out supporting is always good.
“There should be some strong racing because we have the final of the John and Beryl Dean Memorial and the Santos Cup, and also our Narrabri Cup for our faster class horses.
“There will be a few nice horses coming here on Sunday, so there should be some competitive racing.”
There are six races scheduled for the club’s second meeting, the first of which will get underway at 1.05pm. The Narrabri Cup will then wrap up the day from 4.05pm.
Entry is once again free and there will be on-course bookmakers and a bar and canteen running.
See more on the seven races at the Easter Sunday meeting by clicking here.
Tom Ison drives Arnies Army past the finish post. Photo: Coffee Photography and Framing Dubbo
