03 May 2022 | Darren Clayton
Catch up on the week’s harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
Dan Russell took four horses to Albion Park last Friday for two races and nearly walked away with a unique one-two double play.
With two runners engaged in race two and another two in race three, Russell loaded up for the trip home with a winning double, a second and a third placing.
It has been a strong season for Russell, who has put the polish on 24 winners for the term, just two less than he recorded for the entire 2021 season.
Having recorded multiple wins at Redcliffe and Marburg previously, Friday’s success was the first time that he has been able to secure an Albion Park training double.
“It was a great day for sure, to get my first Albion Park double and also a quinella, the team are going well,” Russell said.
“I have a nice team at the moment, I have the right horses and they are on the right marks”.
The day started when For No Reason driven by Narissa McMullen secured victory, narrowly holding on for victory by a neck margin over Go Jo Jolt, driven by Matt Elkins.
Elkins is the main driver for the Russell stable and there may have been some good-natured banter with Narissa edging out partner Elkins with the victory.
“Yeah, not sure if Matty was real happy with me giving the winning drive to Narissa,” the trainer said.
“But, I have had some gear issue with Go Jo Jolt that I have been trying to sort out and as he knows her, I thought it be best to keep him aboard.”
The quinella was also a great result for the Betts family from Bathurst, racing both mares along with Abercrombie Tab with the Russell stable.
Russell has also had a strong association with another Bathurst stable, racing horses for Nathan and Kevin Hurst for a number of years.
The second winner on Friday was for the Hurst’s when Getaloadathisbro secured his first Queensland victory, overcoming gate seven to post a winning margin of a head.
Finishing in third placing was Jet Force, with Russell taking the reins, the four-year-old gelding also an ex-Hurst trained pacer.
“I have a developed a good association with Nathan Hurst and when Phoebe Betts was looking to leave Abercrombie Tab up here, Nathan suggested to give me a go,” Russell said.
“He has been such a consistent horse for my stable and out of that the Betts have since sent me these mares”.
With 22 horses in training and also working as a member of the Albion Park race day staff, there is always plenty to cover off for Russell.
“There is never a dull moment, that’s for sure,” he said.
The team are certainly going well Russell now finds himself in the top ten on the Queensland trainers premiership board.
THE BAD
On March 26 at Redcliffe, Taleah McMullen was involved in a race fall as the field crossed the finishing line, her drive Bohannan hitting the track and throwing the youngest McMullen hard into the racing surface.
With a 21st birthday milestone recorded during her time out of the sulky owing to the fall, McMullen was able to return to race driving at Albion Park on Friday.
Taking three drives on her first day back in the bike, it was a steady return with all three, finishing unplaced.
However, it did not take long to get the feel for winners again, heading to Marburg on Monday, with a book of six drives.
From the eight races, McMullen was able to drive the winners of half the card, going home with four winners and two placings from her six drives.
Opening the day with victory aboard the Peter McKay trained Nesters Hill, McMullen quickly made it a double when taking race two aboard the heavily supported Whata Roller for her father John.
A double soon turned to a treble from the first three races of the day when Duke was successful.
With third placings aboard B Mac C and Looks Just Right, Taleah ended the day how it started, with another victory, this time aboard Melton Insulted that was able to lead throughout.
The win was the fourth victory for Melton Insulted in the past two months at Marburg, the four-year-old mare relishing the opportunity to race on the tight oval.
Confidence in the sulky is a big asset and claiming a quartet of victories at just her second meeting back from injury should certainly send it skywards for McMullen.
THE MILESTONE
Seven years, nine months and 25 days.
That is how long the champion pacer Im Themightyquinn has held the Albion Park track record, having set the time in claiming the 2014 Sunshine Sprint.
That time of 1.50.4 stood alone for six years until Cruz was able to equal the rate in claiming the 2020 Wondais Mate Open.
On Saturday night at The Creek, the record was again lowered when Blacksadance became the fastest horse to scorch the famed Breakfast Creek oval, stopping the clock in a mile-rate of 1.49.96 that becomes rounded to 1.50.0.
Trained by Chantal Turpin and driven to victory by husband Pete McMullen, the man they call Leader Peter now has the distinguished achievement of having been the driver of both the pacing and trotting 1660-metre track record holders.
Taking the track record adds another title to the dam of Blacksadance, Washington Lass, the two-time Queensland Broodmare of the Year winner, while it also ensures the track record once again belongs to a horse trained in Queensland.
Ironically, the last Queensland trained pacer to hold the record was Home Of Jack, his record also set on April 30, back in 2005 when defeating Be Good Johnny.
Driven hard out of the mobile by McMullen, Blacksadance was able to take control and from the front ran the quarters in 26.4, 29.3, 26.8 and home in 27.6 to set the new benchmark.
In claiming the sizzling victory, Blacksadance took his record to 15 wins in 64 starts with a further 22 placings to his name and betters his previous best time of 1.50.9 recorded in November last year.
The track staff at Albion Park also are worthy of mention, with the track having been completely resurfaced following the floods, Saturdays meeting the 12th since racing was able to resume at Queensland’s harness headquarters.
A timeline of the Albion Park 1660-metre track record:
April 30, 2022, Blacksadance 1.50
July 11, 2020, Cruz 1.50.4
July 5, 2014, Im Themightyquinn 1.50.4
July 13, 2013, Suave Stuey Lombo 1.51.8
June 26 210 Mr Feelgood 1.52.1
May 29, 2010, Mr Feelgood 1.53.1
April 30, 2005, Home Of Jack 1.53.3
April 21, 2001, Pocket Me 1.53.7
THE WILDCARD
It was a good week in the sulky for Angus Garrard, who was able to steer home eight winners where he was also able to surpass 50 wins for the season and 400 career wins.
At Albion Park on Tuesday, Garrard was able to claim a double courtesy of Classie Washington for his father Daren and aboard Rocknroll Times for John Boserio.
Classie Washington was first-up in Australia and comes from an array of owners that have been supporters of the Garrard stable for some time coming together to race the five-year-old.
On Wednesday at Redcliffe, Garrard was able to claim a driving treble which included his first victory in the 2022 Trot Rods aboard the Mick Benham trained Rollonx.
Sitting parked was no concern as the five-year-old continued to pour on the pressure to pull clear for a five-metre victory.
Garrard’s other wins were both for trainer Kay Crone, claiming a race-to-race double later in the evening aboard Schooby and Chasin Dreamz.
Winless at Redcliffe on Thursday, Garrard claimed another Albion Park double on Friday afternoon courtesy of R Eleven Art and So Bobs Your Uncle.
That double may well be unique, with both pacers sired by one of the greatest sires of all times in Artsplace.
Having sired such notable stallions as Art Major, Sportswriter, Grinfromeartoear, Dream Away and Modern Art amongst a distinguished list, very few Australian or New Zealand bred progeny by Artsplace have raced in this part of the world.
It was another first for Angus on Saturday night at The Creek when bouncing back with talented filly Cat King Cole to claim the APG Gold Bullion 3YO Fillies Final.
With the Final held at Group 2 level, it was the first pacing Group race that Garrard has won, his other Group level success being recorded with the trotter Sir Fahrenheit last season.
The winning week saw Garrard move into third in the state drivers premiership behind Nathan Dawson and Pete McMullen and just one win outside the national top ten.
THIS WEEK
A busy week in Queensland harness racing lay ahead, with seven consecutive days of racing action.
Commencing with Marburg’s Labour Day meeting on Monday, Albion Park will race Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, with Redcliffe to race Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.
The first open two-year-old feature of the year will be held this Saturday, with the running of the Changeover Classic.
The four-year-old APG Consolation will also be held, with Jasper by-passing the consolation and heading to Sydney to contest the big $200,000 Final where she will clash with the star mare Ladies In Red.
Wednesday night at Redcliffe will see a further two heats of the Trot Rods held, with Im Loki currently the time to beat with his 65.2 seconds recorded in his victory from last week.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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