Tim’s hoping he’s on song at Tamworth

Passionate Victorian harness racing trainer Tim Mortlock has been to the Tamworth Country Music Festival in northeast NSW on two occasions previously – but this year he decided to change things up a little.

“I was toying with the idea of taking some horses with me and then in the end I thought I may as well because they’d be just sitting at home out of work,” he said.

“So there’s a group of us made the trip including my partner Julie, mum Helen and my sister Hannah and her kids and we’ve brought up three horses as well as the caravan – it’s a bit like a travelling circus!”

Mortlock has two runners at tonight’s (Jan 26) Tamworth Golden Guitar meeting.

Outback Queenie (Fear The Dragon) has drawn the pole in the opening event, the $12,240 Multiquip Golden Guitar Consolation, while Double The Hunter (Camlach) has gained a start in the $60,000 Garrards Horse And Hound Tamworth City Cup.

“Outback Queenie was a little unlucky in her qualifying heat. She ran third and just missed a top two placing to get into the big final. There’s not a sprint lane up here, otherwise I reckon we would have finished closer,” Mortlock said.

“Double The Hunter didn’t travel up all that well. He was a bit flat, but he’s picked up now. We’ve drawn barrier one and it’s a strong field and while I’d love to finish in the top five, we still pick up $900 if we don’t!”

Former Victorian driver Leigh Sutton, who recently re-located back to NSW, will again handle the Mortlock runners.

“I told Sutto ages ago I would love to race at Tamworth. Then when I definitely decided I was going, I didn’t nominate a driver. Anyway, he was quick to get on the phone to say he was available – and that was great for me because I didn’t know who I was going to pick out,” Mortlock laughed

“I raced four at Maryborough on the Monday (Jan 15) and hit the road the following day. We had a stopover at West Wyalong that night and then travelled up to Tamworth the next day. We’re stabled in a huge barn on the track and there’s day yards so it’s pretty good,” he said.

“Apart from all the country music, which is great, there’s plenty of other stuff to see and do. We’ve been to a gallops meeting and that night went along to the bull-riding. And with the hot weather (40 most days) we’ve spent a lot of time in the water.

“The music festival is still attracting plenty of people and we’ve been told the town nearly doubles each year it’s on.”

Mortlock will deviate a little on his homeward journey as he’s racing Ernielovenboy at the Wagga Wagga meeting tomorrow night (Jan 27).

“He didn’t get a race start at Tamworth so I decided he could run at Wagga on the way back. I think it’s about an hour out of the way. I’ve put Codi Rauchenberger on him, but he’s drawn out wide in seven, so we’ll need some luck.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink