THE driving tactics might have been quiet, but the supporters of Pat McGarry were in full voice as he booked a place in the 2019 Bathurst Gold Crown Final on Saturday night.
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The Aaron Williams, Bathurst trained colt took out his heat at the Bathurst Gold Crown Paceway in a 1,730 metres contest which was filled with drama.
Four of the runners in the 10-horse qualifier broke - including the two favourites - while driver Nathan Turnbull managed to lob into the one-one with Pat McGarry after copping a challenging barrier eight draw.
While trailing by 5m into the final bend, Pat McGarry swept to the lead in the straight to book his spot in the $100,000 Group 1 decider for two-year-old colts and geldings.
Pat McGarry's supporters clapped, screamed, cheered and yelled "On yah Willi" as the $13 chance saluted, while the grin on Turnbull's face could not have been wider.
"It's always good to go in as sort of the underdog, so when you win it's more exciting," Turnbull said.
"We were a bit gutted when we seen the draw, but we had confidence in the horse. We just said we'll drive him quiet and if it works it works, as it was we lobbed a beautiful spot.
"The rest is history.
"It's awesome and we've [he and Williams] been friends for a very long time. To do this together, it's just absolutely awesome."
Pat McGarry headed into his heat on the back of a ninth placing in the Group 2 Sapling Stakes, but Turnbull said he had learned a lesson from that race at Menangle Park. It meant that rather than pushing for the lead on Saturday night, he was happy to sit off the pace.
"When he got into open space, he went really good. He's done that a lot in his trials, he always finishes it off good, every time I drive him quiet he really hits the line hard," Turnbull said.
"That was why I was so dirty on myself at Menangle when I tried to lead, me and the owners learned a lesson and said that that's not the go, so we'll take a sit. That's what we did tonight and it paid off."
It was the Chris Frisby trained, Anthony Frisby driven Krafty Bart which was a the short-priced $1.45 favourite for the heat.
However, shortly after going from barrier one Krafty Bart galloped and by the time he had settled back into stride his chances were gone.
But he was not the only hopeful to strike trouble. The $7 second elect Pikarso galloped into the first bend and lost contact with the field as well, while soon after Paidinfull and Deekays Major locked wheels and broke.
That left Crunch Time in front as the bell sounded. Rickie Alchin urged the leader to up the anti and he responded with a 28.2 seconds third sectional, an effort which saw him lead by 5m with 400m to run.
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But that was when Turnbull finally asked Pat McGarry to give. After working the Million Dollar Cam x Lady Pia Lombo colt into the clear, that's what he did.
He got home in 28.3s to win by 6m over Sonny Weaver ($12, Amanda Turnbull) in a 1:58.2 mile rate.
The other Gold Crown Heat winners were Mach Dan (Emma Stewart), Smooth Baht (Steve Turnbull), Jilliby Nitro (Margaret Lee), Major Bob (Shane and Lauren Tritton) and Mistery Road (John Boserio).
The barrier draw will be conducted on Monday night.
