04 April 2023 | Darren Clayton
Catch up on the week’s harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
The Australian Female Drivers Championship has been run and won for another year, with Victoria’s Michelle Phillips taking the title South.
It has been a big twelve months in Queensland for Phillips, having claimed her maiden Group 1 victory when partnering Sebs Choice to victory in the Redcliffe Gold Cup in June 2022.
Returning as one of two Victorian representatives for the 2023 Championship alongside Ellen Tormey, Phillips finished the six-heat series on 51 points, 12 points clear of second placed Emily Suvaljko from Western Australia who was just one point ahead of Tasmanian Tiarna Ford.
It was the locals to strike first blood with Taleah McMullen sending L L Cool J straight to the front in the first heat and once in control was able to claim a 2.5 metre victory over the Michelle Phillips driven Make Mine Memphis, with Deni Roberts from WA holding third aboard Dazzle Me.
Heat Two saw Ellen Tormey grab victory aboard the Cristina Monte trained Nor Westa, angling clear of the pegs at the right time to charge over the top and defeat the Tiarna Ford-driven Keayang Marven for trainer Gemma Hewitt, with Amanda Turnbull gaining her first placing of the series with third behind Cheetah Lodge.
With the third placing in the bag, New South Wales representative Turnbull was back one race later to take maximum points with a front-running performance aboard Jaccka Wally.
Firing off the arm to be in control of proceedings the result was never in danger, with the five-year-old rated perfectly in front to claim a new career PB rate of 1.54.1 with the victory.
South Australian Dani Hill was on the board for her first placing, finishing in second aboard the Brad Elder trained Hezashadowplaya, while Narissa McMullen claimed her first placing of the night with a third aboard the Mark Dux-trained Argyle.
New South Wales went back-to-back by claiming the fourth heat, this time it was Jemma Coney with a front-running performance, leading throughout aboard the Charlie Cini trained Bronski Delight.
Tasmania’s Tiarna Ford was again the bridesmaid, this time when only a head away, making a closing dive up the passing lane on the Mark Rees-trained Madrigal, with Rees also grabbing third place as Samantha Pascoe stuck to the inside for the minor money with One Last Roll.
Victoria matched New South Wales in the fifth heat, Michelle Phillips claiming the victory to give both drivers from their respective states a win in the series.
Driving the in-form Mach Daddy for trainer Donny Smith, Phillips sent the five-year-old straight to the front from gate 1 and was able to win the race with a second quarter breather where she backed the speed right off to a 32.3 split.
Holding off a late charge from the Narissa McMullen driven So Am I, Phillips took maximum points for the win with Samantha Pascoe grabbing another third placing, this time aboard the Vic Frost trained Docta Feelgood.
Heading into the final heat, Phillips looked to be in a strong position, however the title was still up for the taking dependent on how the results would fall.
WA’s Emily Suvaljko made the trip across the Nullarbor worthwhile, claiming a win for visiting trainer Cameron Davies with his mare Navagio.
Finding the front through a slick 26.9 opening quarter, Suvaljko opted to take the trail at the 1000 metre marker on race favourite Red Trix.
Angling Navagio to the outside in the home stretch, the mare sprinted sharply and went straight past the Ellen Tormey driven Red Trix.
Flashing home late into second place was Platinum Revolution, driven by Michelle Phillips, gaining enough points for the Victorian to claim the title.
THE BAD
Four heats of the Marburg Goldstrike were held at the tight country circuit on Sunday afternoon, and favourite supporters were left winless, with just two of the four starting favourites finishing in the placings.
Aunty Frances for Mat Wright and driver Angus Garrard claimed the opening heat, with the five-year-old mare stepping cleanly from the tapes and from the front was never headed.
With a steady opening half of the last mile, Garrard dialled up the tempo through the closing stages to run a 57.8 last 800m sectional to claim victory over the Lola Weidemann-trained and driven Rocco Variety.
The second heat also went to the early leader, the Trent Moffatt-trained and driven Chanceless Century safely into stride when the strands released and well-rated in front to claim victory by 1.6 metres over the Grant Dixon trained and Adam Sanderson driven In Chevron We Trust.
Chanceless Century was able to rip home in a slick 55.8 closing half to put the race out of reach for the chasing pack.
Heat three went to the Graham Dwyer-trained and Brendan Barnes driven Mi Furioso Toro, the five-year-old overcoming a bad start and an error in the run to score by three metres.
The slowest of the four heats, Mon Bel Ange was allowed to walk them in the early stages with a 66.2 opening half of the last mile.
Mi Furioso Toro charged home wide off the track to arrive for victory and book his ticket to the $35,000 final.
The final heat saw the Ben Battle-trained Zach Lowe through to the final when sitting parked and proving too tough for his opposition.
Driven by Pete McMullen, Zach Lowe was safely into stride but forced to cut the breeze and turning for home had put the leader away and was able to dig deep to hold off the Brad Millard trained and driven Letterkenny Boy who will progress to his second consecutive Goldstrike Final.
The intrigue in the series comes via the conditions, with all heats held off the front handicap before the finalists will be handicapped according to their NR rating, throwing up a different scenario for this Sunday’s Final.
THE WILDCARD
It was a good week for the ‘elder statesman’ of the sport in Queensland, of both the equine and human performers, with notable performances of longevity across the week.
Twelve-year-old veteran gelding Circle Line showed there is still plenty of speed in the legs when scoring victory at Albion Park on Friday night.
Lining up for career start 288, the James Lewin-trained gelding had been racing well this season, having already recorded two wins from his seven starts.
With Leonard Cain taking the reins on Friday, he had the veteran tucked in behind the speed from his inside second line gate, awaiting the passing lane to offer his challenge.
When the gap presented ‘Lionel’ and Leonard darted through the gap to claim a narrow half-head margin over the Brendan Barnes driven Sporty Azz.
The win was the 29th in Circle Line’s career which has also produced 68 minor placings, with the gelding now boasting wins at Redcliffe, Marburg and Albion Park this season.
Earlier in the night John Stariha claimed his first driving success of the season with a front running display aboard Its Back Page News, a mare he also trains.
Now a spritely 82-years-old, Stariha had been winless in the bike this season from 26 attempts, but was able to chalk up another victory in his long career with the strong performance by Its Back Page News.
Arriving from New Zealand as a two-time winner to join the Stariha stable, she has now added a further six victories to boast eight wins from 41 career starts.
Other winners with age on their side to salute during the week were eleven-year-old Arts Peregrine and ten-year-old Moonlight Butcher who were both successful at Redcliffe on Thursday.
Meanwhile Lancelot Bromac moved one race closer to 500 career starts with a late closing second placing at The Creek on Tuesday, the thirteen-year-old engaged to reach the milestone on Tuesday April 4.
THE MILESTONE
After becoming the fastest driver to reach 100 wins in a season last Monday at Albion Park, Nathan Dawson added another individual milestone to his burgeoning season on Tuesday.
Going into the meeting on 1499 career victories, Dawson had to be patient after placing on three drives in the earlier races.
Driving the race favourite Our Modern Minnie in the eighth race of the day, Dawson took luck out of the equation, pressing through from the second line in the early stages, taking the mare to the front with 1100 metres to travel.
Once in front, Dawson was able to rate the pace, holding off a game O B Legal to claim victory by a half-head margin and make it four successive wins aboard the five-year-old mare.
It has been a meteoric rise for Dawson in the past few seasons, with his past 500 winners coming in under two years.
May 24, 2021 was the date that he secured career win 1000, that coming aboard Justa Little Bit at Redcliffe.
Wrapping up the milestone week, Dawson led throughout on the Peter Greig trained Pago Pago at Marburg to take his tally to 107 for the season.
A bottleneck in second place is forming with three drivers sitting equal on 41 wins for the term, some 56 wins adrift of the frenetic pace being set by Dawson.
Pete McMullen is looking at making up for lost time on the sidelines and booted home a quartet of winners at Albion Park on Tuesday before a Marburg winner saw him end the week on 41.
Angus Garrard secured a treble at The Creek on Friday night, all three winners prepared by his dad Daren, before a win aboard Aunty Frances at Marburg to get to the 41.
While Brendan Barnes also chimed in with a Marburg win aboard Mi Furioso Toro after another consistent week to make it a three-way tie in the forlorn chase of the tearaway leader.
THIS WEEK
All eyes will be on Albion Park on Tuesday afternoon as history is made when Lancelot Bromac steps out for his 500th career race start.
No horse has ever achieved the feat and the Stewart Dickson-trained veteran is being honoured with several race names on Tuesday’s card recognising his achievements.
Lance will step out from inside the second line in race five on the programme, the Happy 500th Start Lance Pace over the mobile 1660 metres.
Tuesday’s meeting will also see the heats of the Australian Pacing Gold Bullion for two-year-olds with two heats for the fillies and two for the colts and geldings.
The $50,000 Finals for each will be held on Saturday April 15.
This Sunday will see Marburg host their premier meeting of the year when the Goldstrike Final is conducted.
With Easter this week, there will be no racing on Friday April 7 and all trainers and connections should familiarise themselves with the amended closing times for nominations, trial nominations and driver changes.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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