Golden Guitar sets the tune

Tamworth Harness Racing Club will kick off an exciting week of pacing this evening when it conducts five qualifying heats of the Multiquip Golden Guitar Series.

Usually run during Tamworth’s Country Music Festival, the series that culminates in a $30,000 Final is still going ahead despite the postponement of the festival due to the latest Covid outbreak.

The Golden Guitar race meeting attracts a massive crowd from country music fans who are in town and looking for a diversion.

But the Club’s Secretary Manager Michael Jones remains confident that with the quality of racing programmed, the Carnival will still be as popular as always.

“We have so much happening during the carnival, there is something for everyone and we are expecting big crowds to attend,” said Jones.

“The postponement of the county music festival certainly wasn’t ideal, but we felt obliged to run the carnival as so many trainers have set their horses for it.

“People up here look forward to the TAB Carnival of Cups and the wider community supports the event. I have no doubt that we will again put on a great show.

“Being able to conduct five heats of the Golden Guitar and two heats of local series is pleasing and shows just how popular the racing is up here. Trainers from many New South Wales regions and from Queensland have again shown their strong support for which we are grateful.”

Premier Sydney based reinsman Cameron Hart is making the trip up to Tamworth which adds further spice to the Series.

Hart drove 174 winners during 2021 and is looking forward to venturing north where he has drives in each of the five Golden Guitar heats.

“Being a country boy myself I love travelling out to the regions for these carnivals and I intend focussing on them even more this season. If trainers offer me drives, I will definitely make myself available,” Hart declared.

“I am a regular driver for Jarrod Alchin who has three of his pacers contesting the Series which is the main reason I am heading to Tamworth. I have also picked up two drives for Graham Dwyer who is down from Queensland for the Carnival.”

“I do think that Delightful Dude is the horse to beat in race three despite drawing awkwardly. In fact, he has the class to win the series I feel.”

Click here to view the fields for Tamworth on Sunday.

By Michael Dumesny for HRNSW