They witnessed one of the best races ever seen at the track in the main race of the day, the Forbes Services Memorial Club final.

Freddy Funk for Nathan Turnbull was intent on repeating his heat win when he showed his intentions early from barrier 6. He worked to the front and then took the attitude of take no prisoners. With a lap and a half to go, he really let Freddy slide and opened up a big lead on the rest of the field. 

Meanwhile his sister Amanda Turnbull was biding her time early on the other heat winner Elmer’s Image and commenced to put her former NZ pacer into the race with a lap and a half to go.

She did drop in for a one-one trail with a lap to go, before setting Elmer’s Image out after Freddy Funk with half a lap to go. 

Nathan’s horse was still about 40m in front of Amanda’s and showing no signs of slowing down but Elmer’s Image could be something special when he reeled off the last 25.5 quarter and Freddy Funk had no answer to this burst. 

She went on to a five-metre victory with another 40m to the rest of the field and she stopped the clock with a new track record for this class at 1.58.1 and also equalled the Free For All class record of Two Eye See established in 2011. 

Fourth placing in the race went to local Harley James for Terry Robb, he was driven in the final by Angela Hedges.  Matthew and Terry Robb, although their pacers didn’t win a race over the two days, were very competitive in much higher grade and I can see them being in the winner’s stall in a more suitable race in future.

Sunday’s Carnival of Cups meeting got underway with the S and S Welsh Transport 2yo pace with the race more or less decided in the first 100m when Bathurst reinsman Nathan Turnbull sent the favourite Bettor Jiggle straight to the front and then dictated from there. 

He scored an easy 14m victory.

Race 2 was the Forbes Livestock and Forbes Shire Council pace for CO only pacers.

This looked a two-horse race on paper, and this is the way it panned out with locally-owned Monkeybusiness, who was having his second start in over 12 months, gallant in defeat.

His driver John O’Shea found the front but was immediately joined by short-priced favourite Sir Cracker for Amanda Turnbull and these two had a two-horse war for the entire 2060m. Just when it looked as though Monkeybusiness had the better of Sir Cracker, his condition gave out and Amanda was able to deliver Sir Cracker a narrow win. 

Connections of Monkeybusiness would be pleased with the run and no doubt his turn is just around the corner. 

Parzival for Matthew and Terry Robb ran a pleasing fourth. 

Race 3 was the Kevin and Kay Seymour 3yo pace and was the shining light for the locals over the two-day carnival when Roseculledglasses scored for local trainer Adam Bellach.

Roseculledglasses was bred by Phil and Dianne Thurston and had plenty of problems in its three starts as a two-year-old. 

She was purchased fairly cheaply for the Bellach stables who have nursed her back to health. She put the writing on the wall at the Anzac Day meeting with a solid third placing and relished being back in the barrier draw for this race. 

Stable driver Angela Hedges made her intentions known early when she sent Roseculledglasses forward to outpace odds-on favourite Our Chateau Lafite for Amanda Turnbull and once there, had no hesitation in letting the three-year-old filly roll along in front. 

She ran the last mile of the race in sub-30 second quarters to lower the previous three-year-old record for the 2060m. She was able to hold off Our Chateau Lafite to record a five-metre victory.

Bellach has enjoyed success at the last three Carnival of Cups meetings, and is now regarded as the leading local trainer by his results. 

Race 4 was the tab.com.au pace and it was won by Dot Ayou for Cowra trainer Darryl Davis when driver Nathan Turnbull sent the pacer straight to the front from barrier 6. 

He was then able to hold on for a narrow victory over Don’t Tell Errol and Archeron for Eugowra trainer Grant Jones and Amanda Turnbull who both looked serious hopes down the home straight. 

No doubt Davis will target Dot Ayou for the Cowra Carnival of Cups over the next two weekends. 

Race 5 was the Dubbo Garrards Golden Gig heat and once again it was won by Captain’s Call whose driver Trent Rue must have watched Nathan Turnbull in the race before, he adopted similar tactics to fire the Hartley-trained gelding to an all-the-way win. 

He beat the Junee-trained pacer Harps, and these two now progress to the final of the local series to be conducted at Dubbo on Friday night. Going on their runs, both will be chances in the $12,000 final.

The last two races on the program were the heats of the Menangle Where Horses Fly series.

The first of these was for the C1 class horses and once again it was the narrowest of losses for the Rob and Debbie Wenning owned pacer I’m All Courage. He was driven by the stable driver John O’Shea who was forced to sit outside the leader only to hit the front halfway up the straight and beaten in one of the closest finishes seen at the track for a long while by the Young trained pacer A Sweet Success for Todd Day.

The final race on the program was the second heat of the Menangle series. It was won in an easy fashion by Joes Star of Mia from Amanda Turnbull. 

This brought up Amanda’s fifth win for the two days at the Forbes track. She showed patience early by not hurrying Joe Star of Mia out of the barrier and was content to let Ruby’s For Tash for Junee driver Bruce Harpley to set the early pace.

Once the field settled down she sent Joe Star of Mia forward to head off the early leader and then to simply run along in front and coast to an easy 14metre victory.

But the time was the telling point when she recorded a 1.57.2 mile rate, which bettered the track rack record of Aurora Champ which had stood since 2001.

The times recorded by the winners over the two days was only possible in the condition that the track was presented. This is due to the track curators Murray Sullivan, Gary Eyre and Rob Parsons for the work they do throughout the year.

A few thankyous for people who assisted with the running of the two meetings. First off the committee members for setting up and cleaning up and for officiating on race days. The hard-working canteen staff who catered to their high standards once again. Plenty of favourable comments were received from the attendees. 

A thankyou goes to Forbes Jockey Club members Ray, Peter and Harvey for maintaining the bar. 

Bill Palmer for coming out of retirement to call the program on Anzac Day. Craig Dumesny for conducting the presentations and the interviews. His knowledge of the harness racing industry and its participants added to the success of the two meetings.

Steve Redfern, once again for his supply of the water truck saved valuable time and undoubtedly led to the good times run by the horses throughout the carnival. Plenty of positive feedback from the leading Batthurst drivers.

Once again our success wouldn’t have been enjoyed without our long time sponsors. Forbes Services Memorial Club has been our major sponsor for quite a long time and we thank them immensely, Also the Forbes RSL Sub-Branch, Hello World Travel, S & S Welsh Transport, Blush Organics, Forbes Livestock and Forbes Shire Council as well as the families of the memorial races which were conducted on Anzac Day. Their support and their attendance led to once of the best Anzac Day crowds been seen for quite some time.

Les Little for his continued support for the cleaning up operations and Emma Gaffney as secretary gained plenty of praises from the Harness Racing Officials who were present last Sunday.

The club is now in recess to 2019 when we hope to do it all again.