by Duane Ranger (courtesy of Redcliffe Paceway)
Visiting New South Wales horseman, Nathan Hurst, trained his third and fourth Redcliffe winners, and first two on his 2004 campaign north at ‘The Triangle’ on Wednesday night (May 15) and then again today (Sunday May 19).
Hurst, who has been one of the leading trainer-drivers in the Western Districts in NSW for well over a decade, conditioned Sportswriter brown gelding, Gabby’s Sportstar, to win race five – A NR 45-49 Pace. The 8-year-old was driven by Hurst’s friend, and former Bathurst reinswoman, Phoebe Betts.
Then this afternoon he trained and drove 5-year-old Dawn Of A New Day mare, Tulhurst Smoocher to win race six – a the Doolittle Lodge NR41-45 Pace.
They settled back from their nine drew and then made a sweeping run to get up and win by 1.1 metres. Tulhurst Smoocher paced the 1,780m mobile in 2:12.6 with a personal best mile rate of 1:59.8. She came home in 29.1 and 29.2.
It was the bay mare’s third win in 25 starts. She’s also placed three times.
Hurst, who has a degree in Equine Business Management, works a team of about 25 with his father, Kevin, at the latter’s ‘Tulhurst Lodge’ property at Eglinton – in the northern suburb of Bathurst.
Hurst and his Dad brought nine horses to Jacobs Well last Wednesday (May 8), and his wife, Angela will arrive today (Thursday May 16) for Hurst Senior to relieve her back home.
“I actually came to Redcliffe for the first time about 10 years ago, and then won my first race here with Unreal Feeling and then Tulhurst Terror. This is the second consecutive year we’ve stayed at Charlie and Chrstine Cini’s place.
“They asked me when I was coming back, which was nice. Charlie and Christine make the trip so worthwhile and they are so welcoming. That’s half the battle. It’s also a good escape from the colder weather back home. I’d envisage we’d probably be here five to eight weeks this time, depending on how the horses go,” Hurst said.
“I like it so much, three-in-a-row is on the cards next year,” he added.
Gabby’s Sportstar, having his first-up start in Queensland after finishing second at Bathurst 14 days earlier, left them to at the 300m and then hung on to win by a short-half-head. It was a bold Betts drive that got him home in in 2:31 (1:58.1 mile-rate) for the 2,040m mobile. In fact, it was those last two quarters of 28.8 and 28.9 that ensured victory and separation from the peloton.
“He’s a nice sound horse who finally got a good draw, and Phoebe did the rest. We got him in May last year and he’s been pretty consistent since. He keeps bringing in the cheques, which is all you can ask of an 8-year-old. He’s not the best in our barn, but he’s up there with the most consistent. But like all horses he needs a good draw, or nice run,” Hurst said.
Hurst trained and drove Unreal Feeling to win at Redcliffe Paceway on June 8 last year, and his only other ‘Triangle’ triumph came via Tulhurst Terror and Betts on June 14.
“I thought the track was really weird to drive on when I first got out there, but over time I got used to it, and now I really like racing my horses there. We are here to also chase Q-bred bonuses with Unreal Feeling and Sheleftalotofbling,” said the man renowned for his distinctive red and white diagonal stripes
Hurst is no mug horseman. The Bathurst born and educated 43-year-old has trained 724 winners and 1,629 place-getters from 6,914 starts since 1999-2000. His stake earnings currently sit at $4.67 million. His best season was in 2013-2014 when he topped the century (108 – $591,659) for the only time.
In the sulky Hurst has saluted the judge 691 times from 5,905 starts. He’s also placed 1,433 times and netted $4.03 million since first getting in the bike back in 1998. His best season was in the 2013-2014 season when he reined 90 winners ($463,830).
This season Hurst has trained 19 winners and driven 12. He has trained and driven one Group Three (Saloon Passage), and three Listed Classics.
“Saloon Passage would be the best horse I have trained, and triple Group 1 placegetter Tulhurst Kiss, would be the best mare. They were both $100,000 plus earners. In fact, Saloon Passage (1:49.4 USA) won 34 races and more than $300,000. Our Group Three came in a M! and M2 Final at Menangle in 2016 (September 17),” said Hurst.
Ever wondered where the Tulhurst moniker in harness racing derived from? Well blame Hurst’s parents Kevin and Pauline.
“it’s a cross between our surname and Mum’s maiden name, which was Tulenew,” Hurst said,
Almost 100 Tulhurst horses have been registered in Australia, and Hurst said he was still breeding from ’Tulhurst’ mares – one being Tulhurst Kiss.
That 2002 Trump Casino mare, who won 22 races ($130,536), and has left the Hursts seven foals since 2013. In fact, her 5-year-old daughter Tulhurst Smoocher, won today’s in the Doolittle Lodge Pace.
Footnote: Eglinton is a northern suburb of Bathurst, New South Wales. It has a population of 2,256, and is 207km north-west of Sydney.
PHOTO CAPTIONS: Phoebe Betts gets Gabbys Sportstar (1) home to win race five last Wednesday at Redcliffe Paceway; while in the bottom photo Nathan Hurst gets the best out of Tullhurst Smoocher (9) to get up and win race six on Sunday (May 19).
