Driver Will Rixon after claiming the Golden Guitar Final at Tamworth.
IMPRESSIVE young reinsman Will Rixon is renowned for making the most of his opportunities.
He jumped at the chance to drive trainer Jarrod Alchin’s ‘second choice’ runner, Aqua Sancta, at Tamworth and subsequently won last weekend’s Group 3 Golden Guitar final at Tamworth.
In doing so, Rixon relegated premier reinsman Cameron Hart to second place aboard the $2 favourite Delightful Dude, from the same stable.
Yet Hart is poised to turn the tables back in his favour at Tabcorp Park Menangle today and has a handy book of drives for some in-form stables.
Rixon, on the other hand, has just three drives, with the best of those appearing to be The Bachelor ($4.50) in Race 8 for Anna Bay trainer Denis Maricic.
Hart will be aboard at least two favourites today, Bacardi Barmaid ($1.80) in Race 1 for Debra Holt and Atomicstar ($2.50), a former West Australian now with the Joe and Mary Rando stable and ready to make his mark in Race 4.
A winner of just one from four starts, Atomicstar had his first run for the stable at Menangle last week and after being unfancied in the betting, finished sixth to Valour Stride, beaten a little under 10 metres.
In his defence, though, he settled down in last position after drawing the outside of the front line and ran on fairly.
Hart will also drive Chubby Checker, who has had a change of stable since he last raced and has switched from Jason Grimson to now be prepared by Llandilo trainer Simon Ellul for a big syndicate of owners.
The former Kiwi finished third to Art Tutor in a Penrith trial last week and hasn’t had a race start since mid-December when he finished 10th behind Jazzy Star at Menangle.
Hart took his Golden Guitar defeat in good spirit and expressed his desire to head back to Tamworth next year for another crack at their feature.
“Tumby Park is a big supporter of mine and if I couldn’t win the race, I was pleased to see their other horse do that,” said Hart.
“Obviously I was doing my best to beat Aqua Sancta but we just weren’t able to run him down.
“I followed Aqua Sancta, who just had a bit more ‘zip’ than my horse.
“But my fellow [Delightful Dude] chased hard down the home straight and in the end he only just missed.”
