The Western Star is ideal for Jurgen’s pacer

Hobby trainer Jurgen Strohschon is daring to dream of a maiden feature harness racing victory when the Queensland Constellations turns to Marburg this Sunday.

The carnival for 2024 kicks off on Friday evening at Redcliffe with the Patrons Purse the headline event before the Listed Lucky Creed takes centre stage on the program at Albion Park on Saturday night.

The Constellations heads west to Marburg on Sunday with the $22,000 The Western Star the feature event on the card.

The 2200 metre The Western Star will be the second last of nine races from Marburg on Sunday in one of the club’s biggest race days of the year.

Strohschon is not based far from Marburg at his Calvert stable.

The 49-year-old has entered consistent pacer Ideal Tiger (American Ideal) for The Western Star with the gelding set to start from two on the front row with concession reinsman Zac Chappenden in the sulky.

Ideal Tiger has not recaptured his best form from 2023 this year but he boasts a strong record at the Marburg track.

He is a four-time winner at the facility and has placed on 11 other occasions across the veteran pacer’s 162 career race starts.

“He is going pretty good, he is just a super horse and tries so hard,” Strohschon said.

“Every time he goes to the races he just tries.

“He needs to get a fair crack at them on Sunday and I think he will be in with a chance.

“You do not want to be going back at Marburg so the draw is good.”

Strohschon has been training since the 2019-20 campaign and has eight victories to his name so far.

The majority of those have been claimed by Ideal Tiger with stable mates Zed Express and Kid Calvert accounting for one win each.

“I haven’t had many horses – I am just beginning in this – but he is the best horse I have had,” he said.

“He goes well at Marburg, he is a tough horse there. Zac gets on well with this horse, he is incredibly patient and clever.

“I rate him, he is very underrated I reckon.”

Doug Manger initially prepared Ideal Tiger in the Sunshine State before Strohschon took the pacer on.

The fledgling conditioner is enjoying the challenges that come with a harness stable after landing in the code by chance.

Strohschon and his family purchased a property near harness racing legend Ray Cross some 15 years ago.

Strohschon started giving Cross a hand with his team and eventually upgraded his licence from stable hand to trainer.

When Cross – who is well into his 80s these days – moved from the Sunshine State to Victoria, he left Kid Calvert with Strohschon and his stable has just grown from there.

The carpenter by trade regards Cross as a close mentor.

“He is a very good trainer and a wise man,” the hobby trainer said.

“He was definitely a mentor.

“I never dreamed of doing anything like this with horses but where I moved to, I just happened to run into Ray.”

Ideal Tiger will be on the quick back-up after running third at Albion Park on Tuesday.

The Western Star has drawn a competitive bunch with trainers John Stariha and Ricky Thurlow set to start two each from their barn in the nine-strong field.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Jordan Gerrans, for Racing Queensland