A TOP four finish – that will be the goal for trainers and drivers at the Bathurst Paceway on Wednesday night when they contest the heats of the annual Soldiers Saddle series.
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A top four finish is what will earn them a place in the final on December 16 and the chance to be crowned victor in one of the biggest deciders staged each year by the Bathurst Harness Racing Club (BHRC).
“The Soldiers Saddle is one of our biggest series each year along with the Star Trek series, the Gold Crown, Shirley Turnbull Memorial and Graeme Board Graduate Sales series,” BHRC marketing manager Marianne Donnelly said.
“This year the final is worth $13,000, that’s up from $12,000 last year, and the consolation is worth $8,000 – that’s good money.
“It’s a big series and one we look forward to each year at the club. We’ve got a good relationship with the Bathurst RSL Club and it normally brings some top quality horses.”
The series has been run since 1994 and as Donnelly indicated, the honour roll features some talented horses, trainers and drivers.
Multiple Group winning driver Luke McCarthy won in 2011 with Precious M, Inter Dominion grand finalist Avonnova got the nod in 2010 with Amanda Turnbull in the gig, while Nathan Hurst’s stable star Saloon Passage got the nod three years ago.
The three 2,260 metre heats which will be run on Wednesday night feature eight last-start victors, including David Eurell’s handy mare Gotta Bewitched. She clocked a 1:53.7 winning mile rate at Menangle.
