Big guns back in action

Harness racing’s big guns are back in action with a vengeance at Tabcorp Park Menangle tonight (Saturday night).

Jack Trainor, Belinda and Luke McCarthy and Jason Grimson all have strong chances on the eight-race card.

Yet it’s the Bathurst maestra Amanda Turnbull who might upstage all of them with her return to the premier track.

Turnbull has found herself in demand at Menangle after nominating her Inter Dominion heat winner Bundoran ($15) to contest the night’s feature, the Group 3 P. J. Hall Free-For-All.

Still, she will need to use all her expertise to get Bundoran into the mix after drawing the outside of the front line against some in-form rivals like Stylish Memphis ($2 favourite) and Muscle Factory ($5) in the 1609m dash.

In-form trainer Joe Conolly wasted no time booking Turnbull for just her second drive on his veteran former South Australian pacer Art Tutor in Race 2.

Turnbull drove Art Tutor when the 123-start stallion finished a close fifth at Menangle behind Petes Said So in a slick 1:50.9 in November and the son of Art Major has since won two Menangle trials in good style and should be right in the mix from gate four in one of the most open races of the night.

Turnbull will also take a rare drive for the Kevin Pizzuto stable when she takes over from Josh Gallagher on talented former Kiwi gelding Vincent Van Gone in Race 8.

A five-time Menangle winner, Vincent Van Gone had drawn perfectly in gate two and was a $4.50 shot in early markets and has already shown he has the gate speed to lead, which suggests Turnbull will look to lead all the way tonight.

Amanda’s father Steve Turnbull will also rely on her to get the best out of another former Menangle winner in Smooth Baht ($15) in Race 7, with the gelding likely to look for a trail behind polemarker Ilikemebettor (Luke McCarthy), the odds-on favourite in Race 7.

Aside from that Amanda has several sound chances from her own stable, including Ellmers Image ($17), expected to enjoy a drop in grade and well placed to make his mark after drawing ideally in gate one in Race 4.

Red Ochre Classic winner Sweet Heaven ($15) also has Amanda back on board in Race 6 as she chases her first Menangle win against some strong chances from both the Belinda McCarthy and Jack Trainor stables, who each have dual runners in the Garrards Horse And Hound Ladyship Pace.

To view fields for Menangle on Saturday night click here.

By Michael Court for HRNSW