Queensland harness racing wrap

Catch up on the week’s harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.

THE GOOD

With just two horses currently racing, trainer Pat Croghan was able to notch up a double at Redcliffe last Wednesday evening when claiming victory in the first two races of the night.

Indicating a win was not far away after some encouraging performances, Convair Hustler claimed the opening race of the night and 30 minutes later, four-year-old mare Awholelotofpretty made it a winning double, with Croghan also owning both pacers.

“Con has just been so consistent; if you look at his sectionals, they are always the best out of his races and have been for some time, he just has been too far back,” Croghan said.

“And the mare, well she has not had a decent barrier, but the driver change seems to have worked.”

That driver change has been the engagement of Matt Elkins to drive Croghan’s pair.

Awholelotofpretty has claimed a win and a third in three starts for Elkins, while Convair Hustler and Elkins were combining for the first time on Wednesday to make it a perfect one from one record.

The change to Elkins was instigated by Croghan’s eight-year-old son Jake.

“Jake helps me out a bit and loves the horses, the mare is his favourite and he said to me I need to get Matty to drive it,” he said.

“He was unable to come to the races because school had not finished when we left home, so he was pretty upset he missed being on the track to watch her win.

“I got a phone call straight after she won to make sure I get a photo of the win.”

The win of Awholelotofpretty has turned out to be a good result all round with the mare also picking up the $7,500 QBRED second-win bonus.

The now four-year-old mare was sold by Amanda Turnbull following one Queensland start back in July 2021 after a two-year-old campaign for Jack Butler in 2020 where she claimed her QBRED first-win bonus.

Joining Croghan’s stable for a new owner, the daughter of Sunshine Beach was unplaced at her next five starts and was sent for a break.

Circumstances with the ownership led to Croghan taking ownership for no outlay at the start of this season.

“I was basically stuck with her, but it’s been a good result, picking up the QBRED with her,” he said.

Awholelotofpretty will likely join Croghan’s broodmare team at the end of her racing career, where she will join some successful matrons.

Having bred the Group 1 winner Hes Sweet, it was a lean year in the barn for Croghan last season with the only foal delivered subsequently passing away.

However, the enthusiasm for the upcoming breeding season has a spring in the step for the busy hobbyist.

“I have three mares booked to Sweet Lou for later in the year, I’m really excited by what the future holds there,” Croghan said.

It is early mornings and late nights for Croghan, leaving for work by 3am and then getting to the stables around lunchtime every day.

And with two boys that are keen rugby league players, football season makes it even busier with trainings and matches to attend.

“I sure do look forward to seeing my bed some days that’s for sure,” he laughs.

THE BAD

While it may have been the perfect two for two on the day for trainer Amy Cargill last Friday at The Creek, Brittany Graham had to be content with two from three – an effort that Meatloaf would say ain’t bad.

Partnering with Cargill to take the reins aboard Ima Calvert Rose in the opening race of the day, Graham guided the seven-year-old mare to victory with a well-judged steer.

Angling off the pegs after 500 metres, Graham was able to secure the one out, one back trail and from there always loomed as a big threat.

Turning for home as Kapai was trying to fight off the challengers, it was Ima Calvert Rose that was the danger and the mare cruised home to score an effortless victory.

It was the fourth time that Cargill has prepared Ima Calvert Rose to victory, with the winning drive from Graham also ensuring another $400 was put towards the Team Teal fundraising.

Three hours later, and again it was a Cargill-trained winner courtesy of a well-judged Graham drive, this time with Ring The Till.

Retreating from gate seven to sit at the rear of the pack, Graham made her move and soon rounded the field up to pull clear to a seven-metre winning margin.

The win gave Amy Cargill her first training double, made all the sweeter by the fact that she also owns Ring The Till, the in-form gelding that has now won four of his past five starts.

Claiming her first winning double for the season to move to six winners in the year at a healthy 35 per cent strike rate, the win also gave Brittany her first addition to the 2022 Team Teal tally with $800 jumping in the kitty courtesy of her winners.

The Cargill/Graham combination has partnered in many races wins over the years – the Brett and Darrel combination that is, with the Amy/Brittany combination proving they can be just as effective as their fathers.

THE WILDCARD

It was a night of mixed emotions for owner Ryan Spice at Albion Park on Saturday night after claiming a victory in a horse he part-owns, while tasting defeat with another.

Soho Sinatra was able to continue his resurgence since joining the Donny Smith stable to make it three successive victories, while L L Cool J, was a beaten favourite in the Open-class feature.

Affectionately known as Frank, Soho Sinatra is now undefeated since being transferred to Smith by Spice and co-owner Matt Leppard.

“We are ecstatic that Donny has been able to get the best out of Soho Sinatra” Spice said.

Causing countless headaches in finding the key to the five-year-old, Smith has unlocked the potential, adding an off the canvas victory in the increased stakes qualifier on Saturday.

“He is finally racing like we thought he had the potential to and kudos to Racing Queensland for programming these $21,000 races,” the trainer said.

“They create exciting racing and there is plenty of depth in them and now after winning his qualifier, we will be trying to win the $21,000 Band 5 this Saturday.”

With the win for Soho Sinatra, the chance of a metro double looked likely for Spice after L L Cool J drew gate one and looked to have a mortgage on the race.

With driver Shane Graham able to stroll through a pedestrian 38.8 second lead time and a 61.3 opening half, it looked a case of who could get close enough to the star six-year-old to finish in the minor money as Graham ran them off the back in a stinging 26.6 third split.

As the field swung for home, Misterfreeze who had sat on the back of L L Cool J throughout the run began to look an increasing danger.

That danger soon turned to reality as L L Cool J was out of bullets and Misterfreeze took a winning shot via the passing lane to claim a 2.5-metre victory.

Driver Leonard Cain went from hero to villain for Spice, having elicited the best from Soho Sinatra to get him home, only to then cause the boilover with the patient drive behind Misterfreeze.

“Congratulations to Leonard, he is driving super as seen with three terrific drives aboard Frank and it was just unfortunate for us with L L Cool J, that he again drove a perfect race with his horse to knock us off in the free for all,” Spice said.

THE MILESTONE

Julie Weideman chalked up a new milestone at Redcliffe last Thursday when driving her 600th career winner.

Along with sister Lola, the Weidemann sisters go about their business with minimal fuss or fanfare, but the winners continue to tick over.

With the trip from their Clifton property to Redcliffe in the vicinity of a 400km round trip, the Weidemanns mostly race in the south-east of the state.

However, there was a time where a truckload of their team would raid Rockhampton, Mackay, even Townsville and more recently – pre-pandemic – Tamworth was the main track where the Weidemann team would campaign.

Julie’s 600th winner came aboard the current star of the stable Misty Creek, a three-year-old that possesses his share of ability – the latest win taking his tally to 10 wins from 30 starts.

Owned and bred by Julie, Misty Creek was too strong for his rivals after sitting parked, pulling clear to claim an effortless 10-metre winning margin on the wire.

Despite training 2,365 winners in her own name, Julie leaves the training to Lola these days, concentrating on running the family cattle property and only steps in to help on race day if required.

With Lola spending time on the sidelines owing to a steward’s ‘enforced holiday’ Julie has stepped in for 15 drives so far in 2022.

Claiming her first win of the season to tick her driving tally over to 600 winners, just three hours later, Julie made it two for the season and a winning double for the day when guiding Rocknroll Da Gama to victory.

The win gave a training double to Lola and a driving double to Julie with their combined training and driving numbers now totalling 6,393 winners.

With Lola second to Kerryn Manning for most driving wins by a female in Australia and Julie second to Emma Stewart for most training wins by a female trainer in Australia, the Clifton sister-act may just hold one record in Australian harness racing – the most kilometres travelled.

THIS WEEK

Five race meetings are to be decided this week, the mixture being three from The Creek and two from The Triangle.

Tuesday will see nine races from Albion Park and Wednesday a further 10 from Redcliffe.

Racing will be Tuesday and Friday afternoon from headquarters to complement the Saturday metropolitan fixture and the regular Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon from Redcliffe.

Saturday night’s highlights will see the increased stakes on the Band 5 pace and a trotters discretionary handicap over 2138 metres.

By Darren Clayton for Racing Queensland