Happychappyshannon hasn't always enjoyed the perfect barrier draws in the past, but on Wednesday, the stars aligned for the four-year-old bay gelding in the opening race at the Bathurst Paceway.
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Trained by Peter Bullock, Happychappyshannon, who started from barrier one in the second row and was packed at $15 odds, picked up his third career win from his 35th start in the Cobbity Equine Pace (1730 metres)
In the gig was Bullock's son Travis and he was thrilled with the win, which turned out to be the sixth win of his driving career.
Bullock has only been driving for nine months now and all his wins have come from driving his father's horses.
He said he was pleased with how everything worked out for Happychappyshannon on Wednesday night.
"He's been working well and we've been sort of waiting for the right run and tonight we got it," he said following the win.
"I was three back on the fence [on the bell], so I was just basically tracking through and waiting for it open up. I started easing him off at the 250 and he saw daylight went pushka."
It was Itsallaboutned that got to the front early, Josh Turnbull in the gig for the $2.80 favourite in the opening stages of the race.
Itsallaboutned had the lead at the bell, with Bullock patiently waiting to make his move with Happychappyshannon three behind the leader on the inside.
Space opened up as the pack turned into the home straight, with Bullock guiding his gelding out from the fence to three wide and to the front to beat Turnbull's chance by half a head.
Itsallaboutned finished second, while Trent Rue drove A True Sensation ($5.50) to the third and final placing.
While it was just his third win in 35 starts, Bullock said he has a high opinion of the four-year-old.
"We've had him since he was a yearling and we've basically done everything with him," he said.
"We've got a pretty good opinion of him, but he doesn't seem to get a good sort of draw. Tonight, it was just the perfect run for him.
"We'll probably just bring him back to Bathurst next Wednesday, with the circumstances."
Happychappyshannon's last win game back in April at Bathurst, with his first almost a year before then at the same track.
Bullock had another drive on the night, in the gig for his father's four-year-old bay gelding Bill Shannon in the Lion Nathan Pace (1730 metres), but was unsuccessful, just missing out on a placing to finish the race in fourth place.