Queensland harness racing wrap

THE GOOD

Trainer Ron Sallis enjoyed a memorable Easter on Saturday night at Albion Park, landing a training treble – with all three winners owned by wife Stacey.

The treble came courtesy of Bitcoin and Infatuation, both driven by Stacey’s son Lachie Manzelmann and The Darling, driven to victory by Narissa McMullen.

While it was not the first occasion that Sallis has trained a winning treble, it was the first time that he has prepared a metropolitan treble.

“I only had the three horses in for the night and while I was confident they would perform well, it is certainly something I wasn’t expecting,” Sallis said.

“You never know how things will work out, I was even able to get one winner home in Stace’s colours, or perhaps I was lucky enough to have the other two in mine.”

Bitcoin was the first winner in the bag for the night, the six-year-old gelding overcoming a second-line barrier to claim a half-neck winning margin.

It was a bold drive by Manzelmann on Bitcoin, setting him alight at the mile to charge around the field and take control with 1200 metres to travel.

It proved a winning move, with the gelding digging in for the fight and hold off Commodore Jujon that had sat outside the leader throughout.

Rarely issuing the driving instructions, relying on the skills of those out there every meeting to work out how the horse should be driven, Ron admits he was nervous watching the race.

“Anyone that knows me will tell you I might blow up every now and again when the horses are out on the track,” Sallis said.

“I was a little angry during Bitcoin’s race, but it paid off and to his credit he was able to hold on for the victory.”

The second leg of the double came through the consistent mare The Darling, scoring her fifth win in eight starts since crossing the Nullarbor to join the Wanora stables of Sallis.

“I have developed a relationship with Greg Bond over in WA and when he said he had a few that might be suitable, I said I would take all five,” Sallis said.

“Not all five have stepped up but the three that have done a good job and I am really happy with how they are performing.”

The Darling is one of those five that arrived from the leading West Australian stable of Bond and the mare now owned by Stacey Sallis has not only won five races but also placed in her other three Queensland appearances.

Although beaten for speed from gate one on Saturday, after racing in the trail throughout, her closing speed was too much for her opponents as she pulled clear for the victory.

Sallis remains philosophical about how far his mare can progress, despite her solid form in the Sunshine State.

“If she doesn’t make it much further that’s fine, because she is a lovely mare that we will be able to breed from,” he said.

Infatuation completed the treble, the making it successive metropolitan victories and his third in seven starts for Sallis.

Keeping his winner ticking over with 18 for the season thus far, Sallis is never one to get too far ahead of himself.

With the 18 wins from 16 weeks of the year, the 50-win target remains in sight once again, even though there are 52 weeks in a year.

“I don’t look too far ahead, I just strive to get the next winner and make sure my horses are consistent, a winner a week keeps me happy,” he said.

“A winner a week and two weeks off for holidays, that’s how I enjoy it!”

At the current rate, this year it could be a four-week vacation.

THE BAD

It has been a tough few months for freelance reinsman Adam Sanderson, starting when a finger injury required an extended period on the sidelines.

Not long after returning to the bike, Sanderson was again struck down, this time by illness that required another period of rest and recuperation.

However, the hard work to return to the sulky paid dividends last week with the former Kiwi running hot with winners and placings flowing freely.

Boosting his season tally, Sanderson also capitalised on Shane Graham serving a suspension, landing some catch drives and converting them into winners.

The winning week started at The Creek on Tuesday where Sanderson claimed a winning treble along with three placings from seven drives for the day.

Each winner was for a different trainer, claiming one apiece for Shannon Price with Speak The Truth, Ian Gurney with Franco Nathan and Shane Graham with Our Aunty Ash.

On Wednesday night at Redcliffe, Sanderson travelled to The Triangle for a book of four drives and returned home with a super impressive win aboard Sumomentsomewhere for trainer Shannon Price.

Winning the opening event on the night in the NR58-70 Heat in a slick 1.54.8 mile-rate, Sanderson then finished second aboard each of his other three drives.

Heading back to The Creek on Thursday, and another win was chalked up for trainer Shane Graham, partnering the mare Mach Brilliance to her first Queensland victory.

With racing back under lights on Saturday night, it was a metro double for Shannon Price to make it seven driving wins for Sanderson.

Scoring his second win in the week aboard the talented three-year-old Speak The Truth for Price, the double was completed when Van Sank scored victory in the trotting race.

Also bringing up 900 career driving wins during the week, there was no sign of bad luck.

THE MILESTONE

Night racing returned to Albion Park for the first time since February when 10 races were successfully staged on Saturday night.

Matt Elkins took the honour of the first winner, when Paravani, a pacer he owns, trains and drove was successful in the opening event of the evening.

Sent straight to the front from barrier one, Elkins was able to control the pace through an opening split of 28.1 and followed it with a 29.1-second split for an opening half of 57.2.

Dialling it up down the back stretch with a 27.7 panel, Paravani held on from the fast-finishing Sam Is Perfection to stop the clock in a 1.54.0 mile-rate.

It was the 12th career win for the seven-year-old gelding, with half of those wins under the care of Elkins.

Two races later and it was a training and driving double for Elkins, guiding Juddy Douglas to an all the way victory in a new career best winning rate of 1.53.3.

Training honours for the first night back under lights went to Ron Sallis with a treble, while Elkins and Shannon Price each recorded doubles.

Meanwhile, driving honours were split with three drivers each claiming a winning double.

Elkins was the first on the board with his double and was joined by Lachie Manzelmann who was in the bike for two of the winners prepared by Ron Sallis.

Adam Sanderson was the third courtesy of both winning drives for Shannon Price.

With the first night now behind us, the lamps will get another workout this coming week with Friday’s meeting also being a night fixture along with the Saturday metropolitan card.

THE WILDCARD

After showing good ability during his first season of racing with a pair of wins from just three starts, three-year-old trotter You No Ill Be Late returned in fine style at Albion Park last Tuesday.

Trained and owned by Chantal Turpin, the colt was heavily supported to make a winning return and he did not let his supporters down.

Stepping safely to the front soon after the start with Pete McMullen taking the reins, the son of Creatine trotted cleanly throughout at his first attempt over the 2138-metre journey.

Putting the opening two quarters behind him in 31.7 and 30.5, You No Ill Be Late continued to build on the tempo and slowly started to pull clear of his rivals.

With the closing two quarters run in 29.2 and 28.9, the three-year-old extended his lead to claim victory by a widening margin, the judge posting the verdict of 24.4 metres on the line over Jackka Watch in second and Down Under Rors a further three metres back in third.

Stopping the clock in a mile-rate of 2.03.5, You No Ill Be Late was just 0.4 seconds outside the three-year-old colts and geldings class record for the Albion Park 2138-metre journey.

That record has stood since 2017 with El Swavo the current holder, but off the back of the first-up effort by the Turpin trained colt, that record could be in danger this season.

You No Ill Be Late is the first foal out of the mare Illdoitwhenimready, a speedy square gaiter that was also bred by Turpin and McMullen.

Illdoitwhenimready has three live foals, with a yearling filly by What The Hill and a weanling Sebastian K filly to continue the performances of this successful family.

THIS WEEK

The 2022 APG heats commenced at Albion Park on Tuesday with the two-year-old Gold Bullion and the four-year-old qualifiers.

A mixed sex final for the four-year-olds will be held on Saturday May 7, while the Gold Bullion will have individual finals for each sex on Saturday, April 30.

On Wednesday night at Redcliffe, the 2022 Trot Rods Series commences, with two heats to be conducted as races one and two.

As was the format in 2021, races one and two each Wednesday night will be set aside as heats, with five weeks of heats before the big Final night to be staged on Wednesday, May 25.

There will be six race meetings for the week with three from Albion Park on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, with Redcliffe also to feature on Sunday night to complement the Wednesday and Thursday fixtures.

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