16 November 2020 | Darren Clayton
Catch up on the week’s harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
They may have combined for more winners than they care to remember over the years but on Saturday night brothers Charlie and Stephen Cini went home with three winners, all sequentially.
A different driver was in the bike for each of the three winners, with Narissa McMullen, Lachie Manzelmann and Shane Graham at the reins respectively.
True Confessions was second-up in Queensland for Stephen – the younger of the Cini brothers – when starting from inside the second line in race five.
Following the leader throughout, the five-year-old made the most of the cosy trip to scoot to victory up the passing lane.
It was a good night out for Stephen, who had three horses engaged and went home with all three finishing in the money.
The other two were Tactical Response and Speedy Dominic, both contesting the opening race of the night.
While unable to get near the winner Kingofthestars, the pair ran second and third with Tactical Response showing he is ready to win very soon.
Not to be outdone by his younger brother, Charlie produced a smart piece of training to have Chevrons Reward in the winner’s circle first-up for his stable.
Sent for a spell in May, the mare trialled at Newcastle for trainer Clayton Harmey in readiness for another campaign before being sent North.
Taken back early from gate seven, Lachie Manzelmann bided time at the rear, making a three-wide move at the 400-metre point, accelerating strongly in the stretch to score.
Completing the double for Charlie, and it was another mare that claimed the spoils, this time Corsini proved too strong when sitting outside the leader throughout.
The mare ended a luckless run in claiming victory, the win her second at The Creek since joining Charlie’s stable back in June.
With only the two mares entered for the night, the elder Cini managed to edge out his younger brother for bragging rights, with a perfect two for two on the night.
While they may not have the firepower at present for some of the upcoming Summer Group contests, rest assured the Cini name will bob up somewhere on the support programmes.
Whether it’s Stephen or Charlie, the brothers are never far from a winner.
THE BAD
One Change’s undefeated streak in Queensland has ended when the three-year-old was forced to settle for second placing on Saturday night in the Racing Queensland NAIDOC Celebration Pace.
However, the colt would have lost no admirers such was the strength of his defeat.
With The Fortunate Son working to the front, One Change was obliged to sit parked outside the free-running leader.
Covering the opening half in 56.6 seconds, a third split of 27.5 saw One Change moving up to challenge the leader.
Rolling up the track under the pressure, One Change was forced three-wide around the turn off the back straight which in-turn allowed L L Cool J to dive through and take the lead.
Nathan Dawson exploited his opportunity to perfection when taking the lead and immediately tried to pinch a break as One Change was shifted wider.
It proved a winning move as L L Cool J held on to claim a one-metre victory over the gallant One Change.
The upcoming Summer Carnival remains the target for One Change, with connections floating the possibility of stepping the colt up against Open company.
Meanwhile L L Cool J – who is now two from two for trainer/driver Nathan Dawson – will be looking to the Ted and Edna Badcock 4YO Championship, with connections also toying with the idea of a possible tilt at the Blacks A Fake.
THE WILDCARD
Producing a winner first-up from a spell is a great training achievement.
Producing a winner first-up when that break has been nearly three years is that little bit more special.
If that winner is a mare first-up back at the track and has also had a foal in the time off – well there are plenty of superlatives that would probably still fall short of describing how great an effort the win is.
That is what happened at Redcliffe on Sunday night when Gabi Get Along was successful for the father and son combination of David and Andrew Millard.
The now six-year-old started her career three years ago when stepping out in a Pot Of Gold Series.
That series would feature the likes of Fame Assured, Our Major Day and Pinup Boy, meanwhile Gabi Get Along was struck down with a tendon injury – an injury that appeared career ending.
With the opportunity to secure an immediate service to Changeover, the decision was made to put the filly in-foal.
Successfully delivering a Changeover colt 11 months later, the life of a broodmare looked on the cards.
They say time is a great healer and given time, the Millards opted to put the mare back into work.
Continuing to progress, the now six-year-old was showing enough to progress to the trialling stage.
Taken to Redcliffe for the hit-out, the mare was successful in that trial and rather than opting for a further trial, Gabi Get Along was nominated for a race.
Starting from barrier two with owner Andrew Millard in the bike, the mare was sent straight to the front and from there led every step for one of the great comeback victories.
With a rising two-year-old that is QBRED eligible and Gabi Get Along also having QBRED options, the financial incentive is a lucrative kicker.
THE MILESTONE
Trotting veteran Our Overanova reached a milestone with victory in the third heat of the Darrell Alexander Memorial on Saturday night.
Scoring victory from a 30-metre handicap, the ten-year-old veteran claimed his 50th victory at Albion Park – the gelding sitting second to Destreos for most wins at The Creek.
Quickly closing in on $500,000 in stakes, the grand campaigner extended his overall record to 63 career victories from his 187 starts.
Arriving with the Grant Dixon stable back in 2013 as a winner of one race, the gelded son of Monarchy was victorious at Gold Coast on July 18 of that year first-up for Dixon.
Quickly racing his way through the grades, Our Overanova was successful in 18 of his first 20 race starts in Queensland.
Included in that sequence of victories was the 2014 DJA Final when winning a heat of that series on the way to claiming the final from a 30-metre handicap.
Owned by Greg and Sharon Mitchell under the banner of GSM Racing, not only has Our Overanova dominated trotting at Queensland harness racing headquarters, the gelding holds track and age records at three tracks.
Holding a number of records that have since been eclipsed, those that Our Overanova still possesses are:
- Albion Park 4YO 3157-metre stand start;
- Redcliffe 1780-metre mobile;
- Redcliffe 4YO 2040-metre mobile and;
- Gold Coast 3YO 2100-metre stand start.
A two-time winner of the DJA Series, Our Overanova will give the 2020 Series a mighty shake from his 30-metre impost.
THIS WEEK
The week ahead in Queensland harness racing action will see six race meetings held from Tuesday through Sunday.
Normal transmission will resume as Albion Park will host meetings on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.
Redcliffe will fill the Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon slots and Marburg steps in for a Sunday afternoon meeting.
Racing from Albion Park on Saturday night will see the second round of the Darrell Alexander Memorial Trotting heats conducted over the 2138 metre distance.
The three Round One heat winners looking for sweep of the heats are BD Khaosan, Gee Up Neddy and Our Overanova.
Saturday night will also see a three-year-old event sponsored by Ultimate Tools offering strong stakemoney and gift vouchers for the winning owners, trainers and drivers courtesy of the sponsor.
This race shapes as the likely return run for Blacksadance who has been super impressive in a pair of recent trials where a possible clash with his in-form stablemate Major Fernco looms.
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