Nathan Hurst has ended 2020 in style, claiming a double at Parkes on Thursday night.
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Hurst took four runners to compete in three races at Parkes for the New Year's Eve meeting and the evening couldn't have started any better when his three-year-old bay gelding Eagle Commander ($3.50) won the Col Fletcher Ford Pace (2040 metres).
Eagle Commander started the pace well and took to the lead quickly, but was challenged by Stan Townsend's Good Cop for a good portion of the race, until he fell away in the home straight and would eventually finish in sixth.
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Hurst would drive Eagle Commander to a comfortable win, almost 12 metres ahead of Paul Melham's Tell Them Nothing ($31) and Richard Williams' It Aint Royal ($81) in second and third respectively.
The favourite - Bernie Hewitt's Lady Swiss ($3.20), driven by Gemma Hewitt - finished in fifth.
In the second race, the Parkes Leagues Club Pace (1660 metres), Hurst had two pacers starting - race favourite Gabbys Reason ($1.18) and Tulhurst Lover ($16).
Hurst drove Gabbys Reason to a handy lead but Pom Pay ($13), trained by Graham Betts and driven by Phoebe Betts, wasn't giving up without a fight, pushing the favourite all the way to the line.
In the end it was Hurst's chance that got home first, a neck ahead of Pom Pay, with the Michael Munro-trained Caesars Rockstar claiming the third and final placing.
All round, it was a great night for Bathurst trainers, with leading female driver Amanda Turnbull driving three winners - red-hot favourite Balducci ($1.10) in the PHRC Life Members Pace (2040 metres), Windy Hill Wally ($3.60) in the HRNSW Carnival of Cups 3YO Pace (2040 metres) and red-hot favourite Lyrical Genius ($1.09) in the Tab.com.au 2YO Pace (1660 metres).
The Turnbull-trained Gotta Party Doll ($1.35) also won the Langlands Hanlon Parkes Cup (1660 metres), however, Isobel Ross had the drive.
Mat Rue also drove a winner, the Kenneth Rue-trained Ideal Denny ($1.28) in the Medlyns/Castrol Gig Pace (2040 metres).