Latest McMullen star shines

When you're hot, you are pretty close to being on fire. Eighteen-year-old claim harness racing driver Taleah McMullen has hit her straps in spectacular style in recent weeks.

In the 2018/19 season, she is boasting stats of 321 drives for 38 wins and 81 placings while bankrolling $195,361 for owners.

We may have to add a couple to the win score as the lightweight lady driver took out the last two at Albion Park Thursday after the information above, was released.

McMullen's current lifetime stats put together in just three seasons were 688 drives, 62 wins, 154 placings and total earnings of $327,285.

Another star is rising in the lower Brisbane Valley hamlet of Glamorganvale.

Top Monday meeting at Marburg

JUST two days to the big Labour Day race meeting at Marburg.

The best way to wind up a long weekend is an afternoon at a country trot meeting.

Eight exciting races are being offered with the first at 12.04pm.

Kids will be happy all day with mini-trot races, face painting, a colouring in competition, plus a Kid's Fashions In The Field, sponsored by Anne Murray and run in four age divisions (1-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12).

Plenty of betting options with the UTAB van and ATM on-course, the "Funny money'' bookmaker for those who want the excitement of a flutter but can't afford to lose the rent.

For the form students, get your $500 funny money voucher, and your entry form for the "pick the last seven winners” from the race book. It's worth $1,100 this week on a share basis.

Best bar prices, best burgers and best desserts round out a day's exciting entertainment aimed at the budget conscious family.

All that and the last race at 4.15pm gets you home at a reasonable time.

Gates open at 11am.

Admission prices are adults $5, pensioners, members and students over 16 are $3.

The all-important race book is $3.

Key development

CHANGE may be coming.

Dependent on Harness Racing Australia giving the nod to a number of minor changes to "Harvey” software, Queensland Harness will wave goodbye to the failed "drop back” rule.

No longer will horses coming up to double figures since their last win be strongly suspected of having several "dry runs” in their haste to drop back a class.

Uniquely, in a move to combat the current horse shortage in Queensland, Racing Queensland will maintain the existing class system in parallel with the "benchmark ratings system” which will be adopted Australia wide on July 1.

As "claiming” races are divorced entirely from the ratings system, it is likely that they may proliferate in Queensland harness programs.

In a further initiative, RQ proposes that races of $3500 total, should attract a "career” rather than a "graduate” penalty.

This is likely to be the lever which will allow the handicapper to simplify the program, and reduce the number of conditions written.

BOTRA invites participants to the Hamilton Hotel on Monday, May 13, at 6pm to discuss the above.

Handy tips

SELECTIONS for Albion Park tonight.

R1: 1-4-8: Luikin (B Elder)-Wattlebank Flyer (A Richardson)-Monivae (P McMullen).

R2: E/w 2: Macheasy (G Dixon).

R3: Quinella 1-9: Crowning Glory (N McMullen) and Tell The Linesmen (A Sanderson).

R4: Quinella 2-12: Bells Beach House (P McMullen) and Lincoln Road (H Barnes).

R5: Quinella1-10: Our Bondi Beach (D Graham) and Unassuming Champ (A Richardson).

R6: Quinella 1-4: Proficient (K Dawson) and Battle Born (J Elkins).

R7: Box trifecta 1-2-7: Drive Your Dream (D. Graham)-Innocent Crocker (K Rasmussen)-Red Charmer (G Dixon).

R8: E/w Living Grand (A Richardson).

R9: First four 1-6-8-9: Ivanov (J Cremin)-Northern Muscle (D Smith)-Justabitnoisy (D Lee)-Maybe to The Max (H Barnes).

R10: Quinella 5-6: Beaver (T Dawson) and Glenferrie Hood (P McMullen).

Marburg guide

For Monday's Labour Day meeting.

Race 1 tips: 4-2-1.

MAJOR SLIP UP: 3rd up from spell. Class drop.

ALL MADNESS: Erratic but gets clear shot. Fit.

SMOOTH THE COST: New stable. Top trainer/driver. Ace draw.

Race 2 tips: 8-6-4.

ACE MONTANA: Top stable, top driver and gets easy trail early.

DALLAS COWGIRL: Going well, and may get clear of fence early.

SHIMANSHYNE: Resuming. Showed some promise early.

Race 3 tips: 3-8-9.

ARES: Will be going forward early and may hold on.

WHATA STRIDE: Recent winner. Lightweight driver and will get a good trail.

LIGHT HORSE: Shows flashes of brilliance. Up to these at his best.

Race 4 tips: 4-8-10.

GOALKICKER: Excellent form. Best of the front markers.

BRONZE ECSTASY: Very strong and will get carted into it.

GOODTIME STRIDE: Great form, 30 metres not beyond him.

Race 5 tips: 8-7-9.

TASCOTT LADY: Honest as the sun, can round these up.

ARTS PEREGRINE: Always thereabouts, runs on.

OUR CHAMPION: Wide draw, but may be his day.

Race 6 tips: 3-5-1.

OMINOUS FLYER: Gets his chance today.

MY ULTIMATE HELL: Knows track backwards, top driver.

IFOUNDTHEBEACH: Draw suits,and will be in front for a long way.

Race 7 tips: 9-1-4.

IF YOU BELIEVE: Stable and driver both flying. Will be there at the finish.

DOMESTIC ART: Runs best races here and has ace draw.

INCITER: Slowly developing into a nice horse, runs on.

Race 8 tips: 7-9-2.

DONNY JONES: Good form, gets nice trail, cool driver.

STEVIE DEE: Honest mare, top stable, top driver.

ZENMACH: Form ordinary, but has options.

Honour board

Taleah McMullen was first time up with eight wins and rating of 400. Adam Richardson posted six wins and a rate of 300. No change on the trainers' board, with Chantal Turpin and Ron Sallis leading in three apiece. Most pleasing was Taleah McMullen's success with two doubles and a treble.

Albion Park, April 26: Garland Greene (Narissa McMullen for Steve Cini); Lisa Lincoln (Trent Dawson for Melissa Gillies); So Bobs Your Uncle (Adam Richardson for Drew Turton); Much Bettor (Adam Sanderson for Ian Gurney); Im Free Falling (Taleah McMullen for Ron Sallis).

Albion Park, April 27: A Good Chance (Pete McMullen for Donny Smith); Tulhurst Ace (Adam Richardson for Chris Monte); Lincoln Road (Hayden Barnes for Alistair Barnes); Innocent Crocker (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin); Oceans Predator (Narissa McMullen for Greg Elkins); Quietly Spoken (Narissa McMullen for Steve Cini); Watch Pulp Fiction (Chantal Turpin); Ark (Adam Sanderson for Grant Dixon).

Redcliffe, April 28: Elms Creek (Taleah McMullen for Ron Sallis); Meant To Be Me (Adam Richardson for Gary Gerrard); Im Toot (Taleah McMullen for Dale Belford); Robinmegood (Rob Gorman for Kevin Joiner); Celtic Cruza (Taleah McMullen for Donny Smith); Downtown Lucca (Adam Richardson for Allan Sanders).

Albion Park, April 30: Mach Alert (Kelli Dawson for Ian Gurney).

Redcliffe, May 1: Comigal (Hayden Barnes for Brett Cargill); Rowdys Ace (Taleah McMullen for John McMullen); Mybella Rose (Taleah McMullen for Murray Thomas); One Last Roll (Pete McMullen for Rachel Belier); Dashing Hannah (Adam Richardson for Tayla Gillespie).

Albion Park, May 2: Robinmegood (Rob Gorman for Kevin Joiner); Epirus Boy (Hayden Barnes for Jack Butler); Devouged (Adam Richardson for Doug Lee); Morroch Bay (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin); Our Pepperjack (Taleah McMullen for Graham White); Elms Creek (Taleah McMullen for Ron Sallis).

By Denis Smith – Trot Tactics

Reprinted with permission of The Queensland Times