Harmey pair hunt major rewards at Menangle

Harness racing trainer Clayton Harmey will look to Chevrons Reward as a winning chance when two from his stable jump in class at Menangle on Saturday night.

The Nulkaba trainer has Golden Guitar champion Wet My Whistle in the Hondo Grattan Stakes and Chevrons Reward in a mares race.

Wet My Whistle is unbeaten in six starts since coming to Harmey from New Zealand and the four-year-old's last run was an all-the-way win in the group 2 Golden Guitar at Tamworth on January 23.

Owner Allan McColl is chasing a group 1 Chariots of Fire start with Wet My Whistle, which has gate two for the qualifier. Although another group 2 race, the Hondo Grattan is a much tougher task given the presence of Self Assured and Balraj.

"We've got a good draw but we're jumping up in grade," Harmey said. "We've got it against us big time, but Allan said he's got nothing to lose. The horse hasn't got to prove anything to us.

"He's there because he deserves a chance and as long as he comes out the other side on Sunday morning with nothing wrong with him, we'll be happy. There's other races for him.

"I'm not expecting him to do anything, but I didn't expect him to be in the Golden Guitar, let alone win it, six weeks beforehand.

"He keeps stepping up and proving to me that he can do things, but tomorrow is a pretty big jump."

Owner Rob Jones is also eyeing bigger prizes with Chevrons Reward. Harmey believes she needs to win to make the Sibelia Stakes field. That race is a qualifier for the group 1 Ladyship Mile.

"I don't think she's good enough to get in [the Ladyship Mile] but while she's racing so well, we'll give it a crack," he said.

"She does have to step up but it's every owners' dream to get into those races.

"She's going very good. We're driving her different to how we used to. We always pushed her forward but she seems to like coming from behind.

"She's had only one try from behind at Menangle and she won in 1:51, and her last half and quarter were good."

Singleton trainer Aaron Goadsby has Immortal Change in gate one of the same race. He also has Takara Truffle in the 10th.

By Craig Kerry

Reprinted with permission of The Newcastle Herald