QBRED stars emerge as contenders for Queensland Cup

From being buddies, to broken in together and worked up at the same time – Will The Wizard and Blacksadance have been next to each other for almost every step of their harness racing journey.

The pair have come through the grades together – combining for 28 victories – and following on from last week’s Group 2 Be Good Johnny Sprint, they now turn their attention to the Queensland Cup this Saturday evening at Albion Park.

For Patrick Estate-based trainer Chantal Turpin, the geldings have become part of the family.

One got the best of the other in the early days but regular driver Pete McMullen – Turpin’s husband – believes the other is now starting to turn the tables.

They will both need to be at their best if they are to add to their winning resume in the $51,000 feature event over 2138 metres.

“He has always had the battles with Blacksadance throughout his career and I think he has beaten him most of the time,” Turpin said of Will The Wizard.

“He is pretty special to us as we broke him in and one of our long-time owners Ross Patrick bred him, he is a big part of our stable.

“He has been here since he was a yearling, he has been here for four years now and he is one of our favourites.”

Will The Wizard’s stable mate Blacksadance has been by his side from day one.

“Pete broke him in, so he has been here the same amount of time as Will The Wizard,” Turpin said of Blacksadance.

“They have always been buddies and worked together when they were younger and now, they do battle as they are the same age through their races.”

McMullen, who is the state’s leading driver as he edges towards 300 victories this season, has seen a change in the dynamic between his two stable stars of late.

“They were mates early on, they came here at the same time, they were broken in and worked up together, it was all in sync,” McMullen said.

“I think time has progressed, Blacksadance has slowly started to turn a little bit and get Will The Wizard back.

“I think Will The Wizard is probably a better horse, but he is probably more one dimensional, whereas Blacksadance is becoming more of a race horse.

“Blacksadance can come off the pace or do a bit of work, that is where he is starting to catch the other guy.

“Blacksadance was a bit goofy and making mistakes but he has grown into himself, he is a big horse, and matured – he has started it put it all together now.”

The duo have pulled up well from their efforts in the Be Good Johnny Sprint – the training partnership noted – spending the weekend in the paddock as they build up to the Queensland Cup.

Of the two, McMullen is keen to see Blacksadance a little closer in the run on Saturday evening, believing he will be a big chance to break through if he can be up with the pace.

With champion pacer Colt Thirty One nearing the end of his sparkling career, Racing Queensland’s Senior Harness Racing Manager David Brick believes the Turpin stablemates are likely to be the leading QBRED stars over the next few years.

Blacksadance defeated Colt Thirty One late last month and finished ahead of the Queensland pin-up boy in last Saturday’s Group 2 feature.

“Colt Thirty One is the multiple QBRED and Queensland Horse of the Year, but the other two are certainly on the door step,” Brick said.

“After the Be Good Johnny Sprint and looking towards the Queensland Cup, we will see these two horses into the future and possibly taking the baton over from Colt Thirty One, from a QBRED perspective.

“The QBRED continues to be a shining light for harness racing in Queensland, we look forward to building on that into the future.”

QBRED is an incentive scheme delivering over $3.5 Million in additional returns for breeders and owners of harness horses bred and racing in Queensland.

McMullen, who is working to become the first Queensland-based reinsman to drive more than 300 winners in a single season, believes QBRED puts Sunshine State pacers on the big stage.

“Both these horses being QBRED, it is great for the owners to be able to race in feature races all the way through their career,” McMullen said.

“It is great for the state – Will The Wizard went away this year to the Chariots and he did not disgrace himself – it is good for racing in Queensland in general, to see Queensland horses match it with the best in the country.”

Some of harness racing’s biggest stars have been QBRED registered, including Blacks A Fake, Be   Good Johnny, Forever Gold, Majestic Mach, Leo’s   Best, Bettor Promise, Bettorthanspecial, Catcha   Lefty, Colt Thirty One and Smart As Camm Be.

“QBRED, the system up here is amazing at the moment,” Turpin said.

“It is certainly getting people interested in breeding again.”

By Jordan Gerrans for Racing Queensland