Catch up on the week’s harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE CAPTAIN
With his immediate short-term future in limbo following a throat complaint just prior to the Queensland Constellations, Sure Thing Captain has put those concerns aside.
Missing most of the local carnival, the four-year-old was able to get back to the track on the final night when unplaced behind Blazing Home.
Runner-up at his next run from a tough gate behind Major Moth, a powerful performance at his next run was enough for connections to head to Menangle confident that Sure Thing Captain was still on an upward trajectory.
Gaining a start to chase the remaining The Eureka slot in the Discovery Stakes, the Shannon Price-trained gelding led the field through a steady lead time of 49.6 seconds and then a comfortable 31 second opening quarter, driver Adam Sanderson increasing the tempo with the second split in 28.6 seconds.
Making it a true test for those chasing, Sanderson and Sure Thing Captain ran a sizzling 26.3 second third quarter and were able to fend off all challengers up the stretch to post an almost six metre winning margin.
The win was enough to gain the final spot in The Eureka, the TAB slot selection team offering the position to the stable, giving Sure Thing Captain the chance to add a Eureka victory to his Stockade victory from 2023.
Saturday night was successful for the Price and Sanderson team, going within a flared nostril of a winning treble.
Speak The Truth was a 1.50.6 winner first-up from a spell as he heads to this week’s Len Smith Mile, while Is That A Bid was nabbed right on the wire by Leaf Stride in the trotters discretionary.
THE VICAR
Queensland had a great night at Menangle on Saturday, with Daren and Angus Garrard combining as four-year-old mare The Vicar Of Dibley claimed a career best result.
Settled three back along the inside early before being shuffled to four back at the 800 metre mark as the runners found their positions, Angus drove patiently as the field worked towards the home turn.
Squeezing one off as they approached the stretch, The Vicar Of Dibley was able to follow Girl From Rosedale to the outside of runners as they straightened for the long run to the judge.
Getting to the outside, Angus urged his mare, and ‘The Vicar’ responded, letting down with a brilliant turn of foot to work past and claim a four metre winning margin.
It was the sixth career victory for The Vicar Of Dibley, five of those now recorded for the Garrards with some of the owners also sharing in the ownership interests of Classie Washington, who finished fifth earlier in the evening.
The Garrards other runner, Regazzo Di Tilly, will now head to this week’s Stockade after being listed as the final emergency for The Eureka following his fifth behind Sure Thing Captain.
TRIPLE TREAT
Taking just four horses to the races at Marburg on Sunday, David Rodger came away with a winning treble and a second placing.
All three winners were partnered by a different driver.
Batman Bart was driven by Adam Richardson, the first of the winners when pulling clear to post a widening margin.
Overcoming the outside second line draw in race five, Jimmy Bling arrived in time to defeat the odds-on favourite Beef City Starzzz.
Zac Chappenden claimed the victory for Rodger.
Richardson took the reins behind Funnily Enough in race seven.
The eight-year-old was sent out the $2.10 favourite from the inside gate but lacked the early speed and was shuffled to three back along the inside before finding space for second place.
Hannah Anforth was given the reins aboard Daniel Boom in the last race, driving the five-year-old tough from the breeze, where they were able to grip on for a half-neck victory over the fast-finishing Lulu Lucifer.
Taking his season tally to 21 victories following the win of Daniel Boom, Rodger moved one win clear of his previous best season of 20 which was recorded in 2023.
SPRINGBOARD
Following on from the QBRED Triad Finals earlier in the month, the Springboard Finals for the juvenile trotters were held at Albion Park last Tuesday.
In the two-year-old division, the Shane Graham-trained and reined Monterey Lass was able to complete the double by leading throughout after stepping straight to the front.
The win completed a hat-trick of victories for the filly, taking her stakes to $48,000.
In the three-year-old division, Northern Heights was able to secure his first feature race success, having placed on three previous occasions.
Runner-up in the two-year-old Triad last season, Northern Heights then finished third in the Springboard Final before being shut down for the term.
Returning this season in April, the gelding has proven to be enigmatic for connections with a few stand downs imposed.
Heading into Tuesday’s Springboard, driver Trent Dawson was able to get the gelding safely off the tapes and opted to hold the front.
My Ultimate Sunny worked hard outside the leader and Dawson maintained the tempo, as Northern Heights dug in for the challenge and held off the short-price favourite.
The win reversed the Triad result where Northern Heights had finished second to My Ultimate Sunny, holding on by a head margin to take the Springboard Final.
THIS WEEK
A total of six meetings for the week in Queensland and with the Redcliffe lighting works continuing, the Thursday afternoon meeting will again shift to Albion Park.
Queensland will be playing a key role at Menangle on Saturday night, with Free Thinker and Sure Thing Captain in The Eureka.
The Darren Weeks-trained Soap Opera will chase feature race success in the NSW Breeders Challenge Final and Speak The Truth will attempt victory in the Len Smith Mile.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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