22 December 2017
MAITLAND PREVIEW | BY Amanda_Rando
HUNTER Valley horseman Cameron Davies has always dreamed of having a runner in the Inter City Pace Final at Maitland and this year he has a couple of chances to achieve that.
With heats of the time-honoured classic taking place at Maitland on Saturday night, Davies has two horses aimed at the series.
The first to be spotted in the Swayers Gully horseman’s blue, brown and white silks is last start winner Stevie Dee in race two – the first Inter City Pace Heat for 2017.
Having drawn ideally in barrier one, Davies is hoping his mare can capitalize from the draw.
“She’s going really well at the moment,” Davies claimed.
“She’s a mare in form and she’s drawn well, that’s what we were hoping for with her class and she should be able to finish close.
“She won at Maitland last start.”
Stevie Dee rated a career best 1:58.2 when winning last start which was the six-year-old’s second win in her last four starts.
Davies’ other Inter City Pace hopeful, Halfway Holme, is yet to taste success in his seven starts at Maitland.
The gelding has drawn barrier 11 in race four and Davies is hoping luck can turn for the four-time winner.
“He’s been going really well but isn’t having much luck at the moment,” Davies said.
“He has an outside draw but if the speed is on, he should be finishing over the top of them at the end.
“We’ll be definitely trying to get at least one horse in the final if not both . . . I’ve never had a horse I train in the Inter City Pace Final before.
“It’s a race I always looks forward to. There’s always a big crowd being Christmas holidays and you get a few mates together and it’s a really fun night.”
Davies has worked alongside the most successful trainers in the region including Michael Formosa but now trains a team of 14 horses on his own.
In between that, the 28-year-old also works at thoroughbred trainer Kris Lees’ pre-training property, Ellalong Farm.
Davies has trained 80 winners since he first began training in 2010 and his most recent one was Adamant Kiss who is also racing at Maitland on Saturday night in race nine.
“She goes quite well and should find the top and be hard to beat,” Davies said.
“I’m cheering because she is owned by 10 blokes who are all footy mates and most are first-time owners so it was good that I could get a win for them.”
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 33 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by a Board of Directors and is independent of Government.
To arrange an interview or for further information please contact:
AMANDA RANDO | MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
(02) 9722 6600 • arando@hrnsw.com.au • @Amanda_Rando