Tough mare Delightfull Tammy takes out Gawler Gold Pacing Cup
Tough staying mare Delightfull Tammy “got off the canvas” to scorer a thrilling photo-finish win in the 2025 DF & E Kemp & Sons Gawler Gold Pacing Cup (2550m) at Gawler on Monday.
In a weekend noted for the passing of legendary world champion boxer, and grill designer, George Foreman, Delightfull Tammy showed all his qualities in a never-say-die performance.
The five-year-old mare, a $7 chance, scored a half head win from Bellezza Nera ($1.85 fav) with last year’s Cup winner Artillery ($41), two metres away third.
Delightfull Tammy sat outside the leader for the early part of the race before being urged to the front with 600 metres to travel.
The mare looked likely to be swamped turning for home but refused to yield and staved off the challenges.
Delightfull Tammy took her stakes past $150,000 and she has proved an astute purchase by the AB&T Cormack Racing team of Adam, Ben and Terry Cormack who have been strong supporters of harness racing for several decades.
The win continued a fabulous week for Roseworthy husband and wife, Toby and Lisa Ryan, who train and drive the mare.
Just over a week ago they were proud parents in Darwin as their son Wyatt was a member of the premiership winning Southern District Crocs football team and collected the Chaney Medal for best on ground in the grand final.
“It has been a big week,” Toby Ryan said.
“Lisa and I were still on a high from last week so to win the Gawler Cup just keeps the celebrations going.
“What a performance by Delightful Tammy – she is just one tough mare.”
Driver Lisa Ryan said the mare had tended to “knock off” rounding the home turn thinking her job was done.
“When the other horses moved up to challenge she realised the race was still on and did not want to be beaten,” Ryan said.
“She just kept finding and did not want to be beaten.”
Credit has to be given to Ryan for her drive.
Aware of Delightfull Tammy’s toughness, she made the race a true staying test.
Hot favourite Bellezza Nera had a perfect trail behind the Cup winner and looked ideally placed to outsprint Delightfull Tammy up the home straight, but Ryan’s decision to go for home down the back straight made it near-impossible for her rivals to catch her.
The minor placegetters, and fourth placed Lord Zarias, all looked possible winners when they loomed up turning for home, but Delightfull Tammy outstayed them to claim the Cup.
Ryan said he would see how Delightfull Tammy recovered from the Cup win before deciding if she would like up next Monday in the $12,000 Kapunda Cup (2610m).
His other option would be to wait for the $20,000 Strathalbyn Pacing Cup (2230m) at Globe Derby Park on Saturday, April 6.
Delightfull Tammy was having her first standing start race at Gawler.
Lisa Ryan said the mare had stepped away quickly and was able to settle second before she opted to come off the rails and sit parked outside the leader Clarenden Express.
“I have to give Toby credit for the start,” Ryan said.
“We gave her some standing starts on Saturday, and she did well, and I said she had had enough but Toby said he wanted to do a few more and I’m glad we did.
“I couldn’t believe how quickly she began off her 10-metre handicap.”
The victory was the first Gawler Cup success for both trainer and driver.
The Ryans ended the Gawler Cup meeting with a double when Lildabldooya ($2) scored an easy 12-1/2 metre win in head three of the Ladbrokes Country Graduation Series (2070m).
The Gawler Cup meeting also saw a sensational performance by South-East pacer Jensville which broke the track record for the 1609 metre trip.
Trained by Barry Finnis and driven by his son Jayson, Jensville won the Lowe Farms Farmgate Fodder Pace by 7-1/2 metres rating 1:54.5 to take 0.1 off the previous best recorded by The Bizzness set at the corresponding meeting last year.
- Story Graham Fischer
- Photo Walter Bulyga