Queensland visitor Mathew Neilson upstaged an elite
line-up to secure top honors in the 2003 Noel Smith Memorial Invitation
Drivers? Championship at Horsham on Monday afternoon.
Neilson (pictured second from right) claimed the 14th annual series on
a countback, after finishing tied with defending titleholder Daryl Douglas on
25 points.
He won the opening race of the series with $10.00
chance Mintmarke, then partnered $26.00 outsider Bobby Rob into second position
in race two. A sixth placing on Nugget Miller in the third and final race was
enough to claim victory.
Neilson, who was invited to contest the series for
the first time, received a commemorative trophy and Sprint 2000 race sulky for
his efforts.
Ironically, the Sunshine State visitor was also presented
with three nights? accommodation at Ocean Plaza Resort at Coolangatta.
Douglas
finished runner-up after being narrowly denied a third consecutive victory in
the Championship, while Chris Alford was third.
The
auspicious wooden spoon trophy was won by Tasmanian Barry Rattray whose debut
in the series yielded a ninth and two eighth placings for a total of eight
points.
The
Noel Smith Memorial Invitation Drivers? Series is dedicated to the memory of
the late Noel Smith who passed away in June, 1994.
He
was a former president and delegate for the Horsham Harness Racing Club who
made an enormous contribution to harness racing in Victoria through his
tireless work with the South West Zone, and the Metropolitan and Country
Trotting Association.
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Final Points:
Mathew Neilson 25, Daryl Douglas 25, Chris Alford 23, Kerryn Gath 21, Jodi
Quinlan 17, Geoff Webster 15, Gavin Lang 14, John Caldow 13, Darren Hancock 11,
Barry Rattray 8.
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To access the Horsham Harness racing Club?s
homepage, please click here: www.harness.org.au/horsham
