Missing out on the chance to drive at his home track is a pain for Tom Pay, but the youngster is confident Im A Shy Guy has what it takes to win no matter where he's racing at the moment.
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Pay was all set to return to Dubbo Harness Racing Club on Friday but the ongoing COVID situation in the city and the fact the track is being used as part of the testing site at the showground resulted in the meeting being switched to Bathurst.
"It's a shame and I love going around to the bush meetings but it is what it is," Pay said.
"The main thing is we're still racing."
Pay, who's based at the stables of Mat Rue in Bathurst, has just the one drive on Friday night but it's with a veteran gelding he's had some success with.
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Im A Shy Guy arrived at Rue's stables earlier this year and has put together a handy run of results.
In 10 starts, Im A Shy Guy has recorded one win and six placings.
Pay has been in the gig for the victory and two of those top three results and he'll drive again on Friday when the seven-year-old starts from gate two in the Muscle Me Up at Trump Bloodstock Pace (1730m).
"He's been pretty consistent and he doesn't win out of turn but he sure does run a place," Pay said.
"He's a pretty honest bugger.
"We didn't really know what to expect but he'd been with some good trainers before ... it's worked out well."
The recent win came at Parkes and that was followed by a second-placed finish at the same track.
Im A Shy Guy showed is gate speed on both occasions and nothing will change on Friday night.
Pay will start on the outside of the Rue trained-and-driven Our Big Slow while Best Beau, who beat Im A Shy Guy home at Parkes last time out, will start on the extreme outside of the back row.
Those three shape as the leading contenders heading into the race and Pay expects to take the lead early before weighing up his options.
"He ran into a good one in Beat Beau last week but he's in the race again on Friday," Pay said.
"I think he'll be pretty hard to beat."
Best Beau is trained and driven by Greg Rue, Mat's uncle, and heads into Friday's meeting on the back of three successive wins.
The opening race features the only drive of the night for Pay but that's the life of a concession driver.
It was not long ago Pay had 14 drives in the one week and while things change the Dubbo product is pleased to have the support of Rue and other regional trainers like the Powderly family from Young.
Pay has five wins and 24 placings to his name this season.
The first of nine races on Friday starts at 6.29pm.