Catch up on the week’s harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
It was a successful night at Albion Park on Saturday for the Somerset Farms operation of husband-and-wife team of trainer Chantal Turpin and driver Pete McMullen.
Taking five horses to compete on the 10 race card, the pair came away with four winners, with each winner impressive in their respective victories.
The night proved successful for owner C. Whiteoak, a loyal client of the Turpin stable, who owned three of the winners.
Its Mr Clooney started the night on the right note, continuing his consistent form where he seems to be thriving on recent racing.
Overcoming a second line gate, the eight-year-old was able to charge over the top and pull clear to an impressive victory, the 15th of his career.
One race later and the talented four-year-old Alta Revelry secured the 11th win of his career when taking the trail on Send It before sprinting hard down the stretch to claim a 1.53.4 win and edge closer to $100,000 in stake earnings.
Already holding a 1.52.5 benchmark, the four-year-old did his prospects of a start in the upcoming Patrons Purse at Redcliffe no harm, making it successive metropolitan victories.
Blacksadance was perhaps the most impressive of Turpin’s four winners and McMullen was able to elicit the best from their stable star.
With just a front line of seven to do battle in the 2138 metre event, McMullen allowed Blacksadance to balance early before taking the track record holder to the front with one mile to travel.
With a steady opening half by open class standards, McMullen dialled up the power through a 26.7 second third split, which turned the race into a two-horse contest.
It was Cantfindabettorman that looked the only threat to the leader after sitting in the trail throughout and in a last 100 metre duel, it was Blacksadance that was able to last by the barest possible margin, the last quarter in 26.8 seconds, for a sizzling 53.5 second closing half.
Completing the quartet of wins for Turpin and the treble for Whiteoak, it was another ‘Leader Peter’ master-class in the closing race of the night, with trotting mare Sugarinspice causing an upset to defeat a fast-finishing Red Castleton with race favourite Adelle in third.
Sending Sugarinspice straight to the front in the mobile 2138 metre event, McMullen controlled the tempo and with closing splits in 28.6 and 28.3 seconds, the eight-year-old held on for a three metre victory.
The win was 12th for Sugarinspice since joining the Turpin stable and capped a big night for the team.
Whiteoak has been having good success this season and looks to have some more fire-power ready to win after a pair of three-year-olds he owns both finished in second place in the past week.
On Tuesday The Beauden Blues was having his first start since crossing the Tasman, the one win gelding stretching Sure Thing Captain all the way to the finishing line.
While on Friday the Whiteoak owned Always Smokin was an eye-catching second, the five start maiden finishing within two metres of the winner Arkin Wicked.
STARGAZING
Tims A Trooper was one of the brightest local stars in the past week pressing towards the Constellations Carnival, the Grant Dixon-trained four-year-old scoring a class record breaking victory on Saturday night from the 2138 metre standing start.
Taking the scalp of open class star Expensive Ego with the victory, this week’s Patrons Purse looks a likely target as does the Queensland Sun, where a win could see him gain ballot exemption into the Rising Sun where he would line up beside stable-mate Leap To Fame.
Blacksadance was back in winning form with all the big open class features likely to be on his radar over the next two months.
It may have been a Tuesday fixture, but Sure Thing Captain put his name forward for many of the upcoming three-year-old features with a big first up win, clocked to run his own last half in 54.33 seconds, home in 26.81 seconds.
Other three-year-old winners locally that will likely head towards the Redcliffe Derby next week were Rocknroll Hammer, Aroda and Bold Medley Jujon.
At Menangle on Saturday night, trainer James Rattray might have found a travelling companion should he decide to head north with Gordons Bay with three-year-old trotter London To A Brick claiming a decisive victory in the HRNSW Trotters Foundation Final, highlighted by a slick 55.9 second closing 800 metres.
The Great Square and Queensland Trotting Derby look ideal targets for the three-year-old, who is a half-brother to the pacing mare Sugar For My Honey which contested all three pacing Oaks events in Queensland last season.
In the open class event, Jason Grimson may have another to add to his team for the upcoming campaign, producing Nerano to win first up for the stable, defeating stable-mate Major Meister by over five metres.
Reigning Blacks A Fake champion Majestic Cruiser finished near the rear in the same event.
The Rickie Alchin-trained Watts Up Majestic was an impressive first-up winner in the open class trot in a 1.55.7 mile with races like he Group 3 Trotters Sprint and Group 1 Queensland Trotters Cup potential targets.
At Melton, Lettuce Trot scored an upset victory in smart time, defeating Harry Stamper, who is already invited to the inaugural The Great Square, the Russell Jack-trained and Nathan Jack-driven gelding continuing his impressive season.
Aroha Koe, who is also being considered for The Great Square, finished in fifth place for trainer Chris Svanosio.
Svanosio’s other potential Constellations contender, three-year-old pacer Louie Lou I, also finishing unplaced earlier on the card.
Meanwhile, over in the west, Magnificent Storm is likely to arrive in Queensland with a picket fence next to his name after making a one-act affair of the Gloucester Park Members Sprint.
The six-year-old claimed a career personal best of 1.52.5 in scoring by 15.5 metres with a last half in 53.8 seconds and last quarter of 26.7 seconds.
THE WILDCARD
It was a successful day at Marburg on Sunday for Lola Weidemann, training a winning double and also training the quinella in the opening race on the card.
With two runners engaged in the Oakwood Capital Handicap to open the nine race card, Weidemann opted to take the reins on Keayang Tara from the front line, while handing the reins on stable star Misty Creek from, the 30 metre handicap to the country’s leading driver, Nathan Dawson.
Although Keyang Tara has raced from the stand at the recent Kingaroy and Gympie show meetings, the mare was having her first standing start appearance at an official race meeting, showing the benefit of the show experience when stepping straight to the front.
Keeping an even tempo in front, Weidemann took the field through an opening half in 59.6 seconds before dialling it up through a 28.2 second third quarter.
It was with 600 metres to travel that Brendan Barnes angled wider on Mi Furioso Toro and Dawson was able to latch on to secure the run home with Misty Creek.
Looming strongly as they approached the home bend, Misty Creek was the widest runner and let down strongly in the stretch, charging home to claim the win over Keayang Tara, with Mi Furioso Toro fighting on for third.
With a final quarter in 29.3 seconds, the mile rate of 2.00.0 eclipsed the previous track record held by Gleneagle Warrior which was set when claiming the Oakwood Goldstrike Final in April 2021.
The win was the 18th career victory for Misty Creek with a further 29 placings from his 85 starts.
Completing the training double with My Secret Beach later in the day, the eight-year-old was having his 104th start since joining the Weidemann stable.
Despite claiming his 10th win since being in Weidemann’s care, Sunday’s victory was the first time she has taken the reins for a win with the gelding, the previous nine recorded by Chloe Butler (five), Hayden Barnes (two) and Lachie Manzelmann and Julie Weidemann with one apiece.
THE MILESTONE
Grant Dixon ended the week with a 25 win lead in the state trainer’s premiership, with the stable well positioned to reclaim the crown after Jack Butler clinched the title in 2022.
On Wednesday night at Redcliffe, Flo Ryda provided the Dixon stable with their 100th winner for the season, the 12th successive season that the century has been reached.
The win was the 12th career victory for Flo Ryda, who joined the Dixon stable early in 2020 as a four-year-old and was a winner at his first appearance in Brisbane, claiming an Albion Park victory.
With another two wins at ‘The Creek’ since that first victory, his latest win was the ninth time Flo Ryda has been successful on ‘The Triangle’ at Redcliffe.
Meanwhile, the Dixon stable looks set for a big Constealltions Carnival, with several the team’s leading hopes all successful during the past week.
Bold Medley Jujon is on a Derby preparation and scored a strong win at Albion Park on Tuesday, driven aggressively from the second line to press through early and be in front within the first 400 metres.
On Friday night, another derby aspirant – Aroda – claimed his fourth career victory in establishing a personal best of 1.54.3 for the mile, and like his stable mate earlier in the week, was driven aggressively early to be in front from the second line within 400 metres.
The strong week saw the Dixon stable move to 105 wins for the term when talented four-year-old Tims A Trooper claim victory in open grade and with the win, break the standing start track record at Albion Park for the 2138 metre journey.
Displaying his class, the gelding took his stake earnings beyond $300,000 with the victory in what was his first attempt at standing start conditions.
THIS WEEK
Another six meetings for the week ahead in Queensland, with the focus on Redcliffe and a big Friday night feature meeting.
There will be four meetings from ‘The Triangle’ this week, with the regular Wednesday and Thursday meetings complemented by a Sunday night fixture.
However, all eyes will be focussed on the Peninsula club this Friday night, with an action-packed night of racing set down for decision.
The Group 3 Patrons Purse has been elevated to $52,000 this season and the list of horses likely to contest the race is mouth-watering, a list that includes the likes of defending champion Manila Playboy, Leap To Fame, Cantfindabettorman, Big Wheels, Speak The Truth, Hot And Treacherous and Future Assured to name but a few.
Other races on Friday’s card include the Listed Redcliffe Yearling Sales Series 3YO Final after heats were held last week, with Hold Onto Ya Bling and For Real Life the two heat winners.
The Group 3 Redcliffe Trotters Cup will be held along with the Garrards Showcase Series Final, bringing together the winners from the regional shows at Warwick, Toowoomba, Nanango, Marburg, Gympie and Kingaroy.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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