Key player in Trot Rods series

Top harness racing driver Shane Graham goes from spectator on opening night to key player on night two of the innovative Trot Rods series at Redcliffe on Wednesday night. Click here to view fields.

And he expects both his runners – Roberts Delight (race one) and Kookaburraprincess (race two) – to be very competitive.

“I like the series. It’s a bit different, they are penalty-free races which is great, and they give you options with the right sorts of horses,” Graham said.

“Kookaburraprincess would be the best of my two hopes this week. She needed the run first-up and got attacked in front. She’ll improve a heap on that and I think she will go very close to winning that.”

Graham said where Roberts Delight lands after the start will determine his chances.

“I’d love to lead, but I don’t think we’ll have the speed to hold out Im Loki. We’ll be trying though,” he said.

“Even if we got behind the leader, I think we’d give it a shake. Im Loki is the one to beat. He’s very fast, but just struggles to run a strong mile so this series really suits.”

The Trot Rods heats are run over 947 metres.

“I’ll have a few runners through the heats this year. I’ve got another couple of three-year-olds picked out for the heats next week,” Graham said.

“I’m out to do better than last year when I think I only won one heat and heap of drives on the final night without getting a winner.”

The Trot Rods series has heats at Redcliffe every Wednesday night until it culminates the last 10 heats on May 25. The winner is the pacer who clocks the fastest time through the 20-heat series.

Graham is also buzzing about how well his stable star Turn It Up is with the huge Constellations Winter Carnival just around the corner in his own backyard.

“I do know why or what it is, but he’s not only as sound as he’s ever been, but he’s just going better than ever, too. I just hope he hasn’t peaked too early,” he said.

By Adam Hamilton