Queensland harness racing wrap

Catch up on the week’s harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.

THE GOOD

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING

Last Thursday at Redcliffe proved to be a proud moment for Trent Moffat with the win of two-year-old pacer Shadys Cullect in the opening race on the card.

The momentous win was the first career victory for Shadys Cullect and provided Moffat with the unique achievement as the breeder, owner, trainer, and driver of the winner.

Finding that first win is an elusive goal, Shadys Cullect had placed in six of her 11 previous starts heading into Thursday’s assignment.

Starting from barrier three, she certainly looked to have found her chance of a breakthrough and punters concurred, sending the daughter of Gotta Go Cullect out as an odds-on favourite.

With just one plan in mind, Moffat made a bee line for the front once the mobile released the field and by the turn into the back straight on the first occasion, had the filly in front.

Controlling the tempo, the pair raced clear over the closing stages to record the easiest of victories with a winning margin of over 20 metres.

Along with the first-place stake money, Moffat also pocketed the $12,000 QBRED first win bonus for the performance with the win proving to be the gift that keeps on giving.

Shadys Cullect is out of Moffat’s mare Revivalist, with that mare purchased by Moffat with funds granted through a part of a program in 2014.

Moffat was one of 10 junior drivers selected to participate in the media training and financial planning activities made possible by Kevin Seymour, that also included being gifted $15,000 to buy a racehorse.

Revivalist was Moffat’s selection and she would go on to win eight races and a further $80,000 in stakes following her purchase.

Now in the breeding barn, Revivalist is continuing to give, with her first foal Shadys Delight a five-time winner that has secured both his first and second win QBRED bonus.

Shadys Cullect is the second foal, while Moffat also has two more fillies out of Revivalist, one by Hurrikane Kingcole and another by Ohoka Punter.

THE BAD

Congo Line scored his first win in Queensland for trainer Greg Elkins when stepping out for just his third start since joining the Calvert-based mentor.

For his owners and breeders, Peter and Lesley Medhurst, it might just be a case of what might have been, with the maternal family of Congo Line halting with his arrival.

The Medhurst’s purchased the dam of Congo Line, Highview Congo as a young horse and being a well-bred filly had the view that she would join their selective broodmare band once her racing career concluded.

After a debut victory as a two-year-old, Highview Congo would go on to score just one more win in 45 attempts before starting the next chapter of her life.

Sent to the breeding barn, Highview Congo’s second foal was her first to make the track, a filly by Modern Art that has to date won on eight occasions and races under the name Beat The Drums.

Two years later, she would foal her third and last live foal, a colt by Auckland Reactor.

Now a gelding and racing as Congo Line, the four-year-old has been able to claim five career victories in just 15 starts, with a further four placings to his credit.

South Australian-based, Peter and Lesley have had a long association with Queensland trainer Elkins and Congo Line is the latest of their team sent to the Sunshine State to further their racing potential.

After making a costly error at the start in his first Queensland outing, Congo Line was dealt the outside draw embargo.

On Friday at his third start for Elkins, that meant that Congo Line would start from barrier seven over the flying mile, a task made no easier with last start Redcliffe Derby runner General Montana in the field and set to start to his inside.

Taken back as the field was released, Congo Line settled near the rear as General Montana ran a sizzling 26.8 second first quarter to find the pegs.

Making a move at the 500m, Congo Line was sent around the field by Justin Elkins to loom up strongly to the leader as the field swung for home.

Finishing strongly down the stretch, the four-year-old had the momentum to arrive for a stylish win and set a new personal best mile of 1.54.5 with the victory.

Having bred enough horses over the years to know that there are plenty of disappointments that need to be battled along the way, Congo Line might just be the bright star of the maligned Highview Congo.

THE MILESTONE

Boasting over 300 career driving wins, Leonard Cain has added a career first to his name following the win of Oaxacan Dream on Saturday night.

Taking over the training of the mare in May, the four-year-old daughter of Big Jim has now provided Cain with a pair of milestones.

Her win on July 9 was Cain’s maiden training success, when successful via the passing lane over the Albion Park 1660 metre trip.

Owned by Summit Bloodstock, the Fleur De Lil Trust along with Cain’s partner Bethany Manga, Oaxacan Dream started a prohibitively short price favourite on Saturday night in the mares qualifying pace.

Making full advantage of the inside barrier, Leonard took control in the early stages and from there it was catch me if you can from the front.

Her opponents could not catch her however, as she cruised home to record a 1.55.4 mile-rate with a head to spare on the line, as Ajay Breezy Rose made one desperate lunge that ultimately fell just short.

The victory, the third of Cain’s training career, was his first metropolitan victory, and by all indications will be far from the last.

Oaxacan Dream is a royally bred mare that has now had seven starts under Cain’s care and is yet to miss a top three finish with four minors sitting alongside three victories.

The grand dam of Oaxacan Dream is Oaxaca Lass, a mare that has been a wonderful producer in the breeding barn, following on from a hugely successful racing career.

Oaxaca Lass owns a piece of Queensland history, as the only filly to win the Queensland Derby when successful in the 2002 edition of the blue riband feature.

THE WILDCARD

While Pete McMullen is a tearaway leader in the State Drivers title, there is a battle further astern in the top 10 that will perhaps carry greater bragging rights that the top spot.

Filling positions 10, nine and eight respectively in the premiership are Pete’s three sisters Danielle (Veivers), Taleah and Narissa.

After driving a double at Thursday’s Redcliffe meeting, Taleah jumped to 63 wins for the season to lead the charge of the three female McMullen drivers.

With Dannielle currently serving a suspension, her current tally is stalled on 59 wins, so she was unable to add to that figure across the weekend.

With Narissa having been overtaken, the eldest of the three McMullen daughters had a strong book both on Friday and Saturday night to look to regain her position.

After three placings on Friday, Narissa would have to look to Saturday to cash-in and move up the ladder from her tally of 62 wins thus far in season 2021.

Placed in two races aboard Midnight Man and King Triton, there was only one more opportunity to at least move equal with Taleah.

Taking the drive aboard Subtle Delight for trainer Don Hancock, Narissa had driven the gelding on six previous occasions, including a win back in 2019 in a heat of the Australian Female Drivers Invitation Series.

Angling away from the pegs in the early stages in the field of eight, Narissa had Subtle Delight in the running line as Sabrage was setting an even tempo in front.

Making a wide and sweeping run, Subtle Delight powered home over the top to claim his 23rd career victory and second win for the season.

The win meant the week ends with Taleah and Narissa all equal on 63 wins for the term, four clear of Dannielle.

So, while Pete continues to power away at the top end, the real battle looks to be just heating up.

THIS WEEK

The week kicked off with a 10-race card from Redcliffe on Monday night.

Monday’s fixture sits alongside the regular meetings from the Peninsula with Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon also being hosted by the Redcliffe Club.

Albion Park will conduct a regular week with three meetings held on Tuesday afternoon, Friday night and Saturday night.

The highlight of the week will be the APG Brisbane Sales Series Final for the two-year-old pacers, with Group 1 glory on offer to the winner.

The two heat winners were Cat King Cole and I Am Sparta, with the star filly Cat King Cole already having a firm grip on the trophy.

By Darren Clayton for Racing Queensland