With the 2015/16 harness racing season now complete, the premiership winners have been crowned.
Powerhouse performers Grant Dixon and Shane Graham have gone back to back with the state training and driving titles.
Fresh from their huge seasons last term, both Dixon and Graham were decisive winners of their respective divisions for the 2015/16 season.
Dixon trained 244 winners for the season in his home state and therefore claimed his fifth consecutive Queensland trainer’s premiership since taking over from his legendary father Bill following the 2010/11 term.
The nearest rival for Dixon was Chantal Turpin who prepared 148 winners – 96 behind!
The tally of 244 winners came from 1694 starters while amassing 442 minor placing’s with stakemoney in excess of $1.7 million.
Feature race victories came via the Gr.1 QBRED Triad 3yo Finals in May with Frankie Rocks and Get In The Groove while another standout performer includes Leos Best (Redcliffe Derby, QBRED Breeders Classic & Redcliffe Yearling Sales Series Classic).
During the 2014/15 season, Dixon prepared a personal best tally of 282 winners.
Dixon also claimed the national title defeating Perth based training partnership of Greg and Skye Bond.
Since taking over the lead training role from his father Bill following the 2010/11 season, he has trained over 200 winners in each subsequent season.
Leading reinsman Shane Graham couldn’t complete the national title double but he was a runaway winner of the state driver’s premiership landing 247 winners, some 49 winners clear of his nearest rival Pete McMullen.
During the previous season, Graham steered home 255 winners in Queensland alone.
His feature race victories included the Gr.2 Queensland Derby (Catcha Lefty), Gr.2 QBRED 4yo Mares Triad (Bettorthanspecial), Gr.3 Lucky Creed (Avonnova) and the Listed Redcliffe Oaks (Zaras Delight).
But his biggest victory came south of the border in New South Wales at Menangle in Sydney when he partnered Park Life in the Gr.1 $322,000 Australian Pacing Gold 2yo Fillies Final.
It is the 10th straight season where Graham has driven in excess of 100 winners.
The leading concession driver of the year was Nathan Dawson with 92 winners.
It was an emphatic victory with nearest rival Narissa McMullen posting 60 victories.
The victory of Dawson breaks the stranglehold the McMullen family have held on the concession driver’s title since the 2007/08 season.
Pete McMullen claimed the title every year (2008/09, 09/10, 10/11, 11/12, 12/13 and 13/14) during his concession period while his younger sister Narissa won last year’s title.
Ironically, Dawson is employed by John McMullen, the father of Pete and Narissa.
Dawson was a regular in the winner’s circle at all tracks in south-east Queensland.
In December, Dawson will represent his state in the Australasian Young Drivers Championship which will be staged in Perth, West Australia.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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