Ghost Gum looks to make it two straight

Ghost Gum caused a harness racing boilover to qualify for the $25,000 Prydes Easifeed Golden Guitar final at Tamworth Paceway on Thursday night. But can lightening strike twice in quick succession for the Queensland pacer?

Ghost Gum won the third heat of the series on Sunday night after the gelding took line honours over race favourite Shadow Pass (Adam Sanderson). He paid $55.30 for the win.

At race start 145, the grey Flight Laag gelding – who is trained at Clifton by Lola Weidemann – had the run of the race.

“I drove him for luck and luck happened,” is how Weidemann summed up the win.

A Golden Guitar final is nothing new to Weidemann, with 30 years passing since her first win in the listed classic race behind Bee Fifty Two.

That 1988 win was followed by the win of Dual Lass in 1995. The horse was driven by now-gallops trainer Sally Torrens.

“We have won it twice. We are happy to be in the final again, although a bit surprised,” Weidemann said.

Ghost Gum is raced by Weidemann’s mother Marion, with the lanky grey bred by Julie Weidemann.

“When you think he can win he goes bad and when you think he has no hope he goes good,” Weidemann said.

The win has give a lift to the stables, who elected to stay and join in the country music atmosphere after the last Tamworth meeting. It saved the stables a six-hour return trip.

“I don’t care about the draw. I’m in the final and that will do me,” Weidemann said.

“It’s just good to have something in the final. He [Ghost Gum] had every chance here last start, sitting in behind the leader. Maybe he was looking for a hit out.”

With the third heat contested over 1980 metres, Hunter Valley pacer Adamant Kiss (Cameron Davies) led the field while Tamworth pacer Starzzzforlouise (Tom Ison) raced out in the breeze.

Ghost Gum raced three back on the outside running line.

Taking a three-wide trail into the race behind Armbro Teehee (Chris Shepherdson), it was Ghost Gum who powered into the home straight to come away for a metre win over Shadow Pass, with Stonebridge Royal (Dean Chapple) another two metres away third. 

Julie Maughan

Reprinted with permission of The Northern Daily Leader