Racing: Bring The Joy claims eighth career win with good fighting win at Gunnedah meeting

The Gavin Groth-trained mare showed her "will to win" in taking out the Bakewell Haulage Benchmark 50 Handicap (1600m) and notching the eighth win of her career.

Originally engaged at the postponed Warialda meeting, Groth said he was confident going into the race that "she'd run well".

"When I saw her parade in the mounting yard I was even more confident," he added.

"She was just on top of the ground, really toey and bouncing about and when she's like that you know she's on song."

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The seven-year old justified his confidence.

"It was a good run," he said.

"[And] Young Madeline Owen rode her really well."

From the gate the apprentice hoop settled Bring The Joy third on the fence before peeling her out around the turn to join leader Jonesy. After seeming to nose her way in front mid-way down the straight she was challenged by Cliffs Of Moher (George Woodward) but kicked away for a length win in the end over a late-finishing Bacinblac (Kieren Hazelton).

"I've seen her do that on a couple off occasions in the straight, where they've headed her or got up alongside her and she's kicked on," Groth said.

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Saturday's win was her second from her last four starts after securing the Tooraweenah Cup back in February.

"Her couple of runs in between at Quirindi and Moree were a lot better than her placings suggest," Groth added.

She was fifth at Quirindi and ninth last start at Moree but "just had no luck in the straight".

He is now looking to step her up in distance.

"There's a couple of distance races coming up at Tamworth and even Gunnedah," he said.

"Gunnedah race twice in May."

Bring The Joy was one of four runners for the Gunnedah trainer on Saturday.

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First up from a spell, Jazzee Up was fifth behind Tamworth trainer Luke Morgan's Raworth Boy in the Integrated Hygiene Management Maiden Handicap (1000m), paying the price for a slow start.

"It was a good run but he missed the kick a fair way from the inside gate so that was disappointing," Groth said.

Javelina followed with "an improved run" in the Cellarbrations Wingham Class I Handicap (1000m). He "wasn't beaten far fourth".

Al Guns a Dancer was then "average" in the final race of the day - the Wingham Beef Exports/Wingham Tigers Cup Benchmark 50 Handicap (1400m).

It was taken out Troy O'Neile's Nardini Song by a head from the fellow Tamworth-trained Prussian Dream (Ray Hartley).

Moree trainer Peter Sinclair quinellaed the previous race with Liberty Head holding off stable-mate Write On in what as a two-horse shoot-out down the straight. They finished more than five lengths clear of the rest of the field with Liberty Head getting the win by a head.

Sinclair had leading into the meeting highlighted the five-year old as the best of his four runners but noted that he was first-up from a six month spell.

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