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Catch up on the week’s Queensland harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
It may have taken 15 previous attempts to secure a mare’s qualifying victory, but the Mark Rees-trained Jewel Of Peak proved it was sweet 16 with an all-the-way win at Redcliffe on Saturday night.
Rees has faced some obstacles to start the year, with a track work incident landing him in hospital before the recent flooding having an impact at his Peak Crossing stables.
However, fresh air and exercise are always salubrious, with Rees showing signs of improvement in the past fortnight.
“I got tipped out when I was working one and it did a good number on me,” Rees said.
“The X-ray report says multiple rib fractures, but the doctor said he could see at least six breaks, so it certainly has been a pretty tough time just moving about and it looks like I may need an operation on my shoulder.”
With between eight and 12 horses requiring work, Clint Petroff has been able to step in and help Rees in recent weeks, driving them in fast-work and helping to get the team to the races.
“Clint has been a great help and I really need to thank him; it has been a battle that’s for sure,” Rees said.
Jewel Of Peak has been a wonderful mare to Rees, who not only trains the five-year-old but is a co-owner along with good friend Noel Dumpke and Karen Bennett.
The mare also has a big support group with her deeds, always closely watched by the patrons at the Peak Pub, where Rees and his horses are often cheered to victory.
The latest win took her career tally to 15 wins along with 21 minor placings and she has now won a race in each racing season from two through to five.
With a career best winning rate of 1.56.8, that time was a then track-record at the 700-metre Marburg track, with the daughter of Hurrikane Kingcole securing the benchmark as a three-year-old.
Blessed with great gate speed, Jewel Of Peak has won races at Marburg, Redcliffe and Albion Park and has always been at her best when leading.
“When she was a bit younger, she would give up sometimes if a horse got level with her,” Rees said.
“But now she is starting to fight a bit more and she will dig in for the fight.
“She is a bit one dimensional but if she can lead, she is always a chance of winning and that’s how it worked out on Saturday night, she was able to fight them off.”
Having also bred Jewel Of Peak along with Dumpke and Doug Manger, the chance to breed from the mare later this season may not eventuate for Rees.
“I was contacted some time back about selling her to America, and she is actually under offer pending a flight, but they have been unable to secure one,” Rees explains.
“They said just keep racing her until that flight becomes available, so who knows where she might end up.”
The regulars at the Peak Pub will be hoping they get to see some more winning efforts from Jewel Of Peak before last drinks are called on her Australian racetrack career.
THE BAD
An owning and driving double at Redcliffe on Wednesday night quickly turned sour for Julie Weidemann after facing the wrath of the stewards for her drive aboard Misty Creek.
Partnering the smart three-year-old that she both bred and owns, Julie was handed a driving suspension after claiming the third race on the card with a tough effort racing outside the leader throughout.
The win was the 12th victory for Misty Creek and the third win this season that Julie has partnered with the colt after taking on extra driving duties for the family stable.
Tinged with irony, Julie has only stepped up to take on more race day driving duties with sister and trainer – Lola Weidemann – also on the sidelines serving a driving suspension.
Misty Creek has now won three of his six starts in his three-year-old season and finishing in second place on a further two occasions.
Just one race after his latest victory, Julie was able to lead throughout aboard the 10-year-old Pacific Coin, breaking back into the winner’s circle after his last victory came back in September.
While the driving suspension may have tarnished an otherwise successful night, the Weidemanns completed the week with wins on both Thursday and Friday at Marburg.
On Thursday, Darby Brights claimed a tough victory from the second line with Hayden Barnes taking the drive aboard the 11-year-old mare.
Backing up on Friday after their respective wins on Wednesday and Thursday, Darby Brights and Pacific Coin had drawn to do battle in the same race.
With Julie taking the reins aboard a third runner in the field, Essential Three, it was left to Lachie Manzlemann to take the winning drive aboard Pacific Coin and Hayden Barnes to complete the Weidemann trained quinella with Darby Brights.
Two races later and Barnes went one better in claiming victory with Aunty Frances, while Julie finished second aboard Dusty Plains to complete another Lola Weidemann trained quinella.
If there was any consolation to the ‘enforced holiday’ with Julie’s suspension starting at the completion of Friday’s Marburg meeting, Lola’s time on the sidelines is now complete.
THE MILESTONE
The 17-year-old driver Amanda Payne secured her first pacing victory and just her second career victory with the Ryan Veivers-trained Geldof at Marburg on Friday.
From limited opportunities, Payne was taking just her 11th drive this season when sending Geldof straight to the front from the inside barrier.
Controlling the tempo with opening quarters of 30.1 and 30.6, Payne increased the speed through a third quarter of 28.5 seconds, edging away from the pack and leaving those chasing with a big task.
That task proved too great, and Geldof was never in danger, easing down to the line to claim a winning margin of 15.8 metres in a winning mile-rate of 1.59.0.
After scoring her first career winner aboard a trotter back in July 2021 at just her fourth career start, Payne can now boast a win aboard each of the two racing gaits.
Payne has transitioned from show jumping and dressage disciplines after not being involved in harness racing, with Denis Smith the first to provide Payne the opportunity to help and pass on knowledge of the standardbred.
Smith also gave Payne her start in race driving with Majestic Ess Jay, the veteran square gaiter providing Payne with her first race victory.
Rating the pace perfectly in front with her latest victory, win number three might come sooner than the seven-month gap between the first and second.
THE WILDCARD
Maywyn A Jug Ortwo was staring down the barrel of two years without a victory, having last scored on January 29, 2020.
Fast forward to January 27, 2022, and the Dan Russell-trained seven-year-old gelding took his place in a NR39-44 pace at Redcliffe where an unplaced return would have guaranteed the win drought extended two years.
However, with some improved form leading into that event and the benefit of gate two, Maywyn A Jug Ortwo with Matt Elkins taking the reins, was able to find the front soon after the field was released and once in control was never headed in claiming victory by over 10 metres.
The confidence garnered from that victory and the return to form cannot be understated.
Since that win on January 27, the son of We Will See has remained undefeated, building a picket fence that has now extended to five successive victories.
The latest win came at Redcliffe on Wednesday night, when Elkins speared the gelding out of the gate from barrier three to find the front soon after the start.
Controlling the tempo through opening splits of 31.2 and 32.2, Elkins allowed Maywyn A Jug Ortwo to slide through a closing 800-metre split of 57.7 and hold on for a narrow victory.
Elkins has been in the bike for all five of the victories which have shown versatility, with wins from in front, along the pegs and swooping home wide off the track.
It has been the best start to a season for trainer Dan Russell who recently reached 100 career training wins, putting the polish on 14 winners already through the first 10 weeks of the season.
Eleven of these wins have been recorded by just two horses, with Abercombie Tab claiming six wins this season.
With any winning streak of three or more a superb achievement for both horse and trainer, there are very few horses that have a winning streak extend beyond three.
Abercrombie Tab and Maywyn A Jug Ortwo have both been able to secure winning streaks of five this season, with perhaps that number to be extended by Maywyn A Jug Ortwo.
To have two horses in the same barn each record such a winning streak at the same time, is a worth achievement.
THIS WEEK
Once again Albion Park will be unavailable this week with Redcliffe and Marburg the two tracks in play to host the six race meetings for the week ahead.
Redcliffe will be the venue for nine races on Tuesday afternoon and eight on Wednesday night, along with the Saturday night metropolitan fixture.
The Triangle will also host a meeting on Sunday night where each race will also carry the QBRED cash bonus on top of stake money.
Marburg will again host racing on Thursday and Friday afternoon following a successful two meetings held on the 700-metre oval last week.
Friday will also see show racing return for 2022 with the Warwick Show providing the first opportunity to qualify for the Garrard’s Showcase Final to be held at Redcliffe in June.
If numbers allow, three heats will be held at Warwick on Friday afternoon before a Final later in the evening to chase the Ray Bunch Machinery Cantor Cup Final and the all-important Showcase ticket.
