Queensland harness racing wrap

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

THE GOOD

Border restrictions from the COVID pandemic may have meant that trainer Grant Dixon was unable to be trackside, however the state’s leading trainer was still able to claim a Group 1 victory at Menangle on Saturday night.

Dixon sent two pacers South for the New South Wales Breeders Challenge with many expecting Leap To Fame to be a serious contender for the Series.

Partnering Leap To Fame on the trip was Tims A Trooper, a pacer that had been in the placings on three successive occasions behind Leap To Fame prior to making the trip to NSW.

Placing third in both his heat and semi-final, Tims A Trooper had forced his way into the Final while his more credentialed stablemate missed out on a semi-final spot and his Series was done.

Starting in the Final from barrier four, Robbie Morris took the gelding straight to the pegs to avoid any of the speed in an early duel that saw the first quarter run in a sizzling 26 seconds.

With the undefeated My Ultimate Byron pressing forward to find the front, Tims A Trooper was now shuffled to five back along the markers and looking in need of plenty of luck.

A solid tempo suited his situation and as the field swung in for the long run down the Menangle straight, Morris had extricated from the pegs and sliding across runners was now the widest runner as they straightened.

With the final quarter run in 27.9 seconds, Tims A Trooper had the closing power to finish over the top, handing My Ultimate Byron his first race defeat despite a brave run to hold on for second.

The triumph handed the gelding the winner’s cheque of $90,000 along with Group 1 glory and a new winning benchmark of 1.51.9 against his name.

Tims A Trooper was purchased from the 2020 Sydney Australian Pacing Gold Sale for $17,000 and was one of seven of progeny of Tintin In America to go under the hammer in that sale.

Owned by the Seymours under the banner of Solid Earth Pty Ltd, the win was the second career victory for Tims A Trooper this season, taking his record to two wins and six minors for earnings in excess of $100,000.

In passing the $100,000 barrier, the gelding became the third Queensland trained two-year-old this season to eclipse the six-figure mark, joining fellow Group 1 winners Cat King Cole and Teddy Disco – who is also a son of Tintin In America

While he may not have been able to get past his stablemate yet when they have battled on the track, the pecking order in the Dixon stable might now be up for debate.

THE BAD

“They’re off and pacing” is the now familiar line we hear by Chris Barsby when a race gets underway.

On Saturday night in the first race at The Creek, a more accurate start to the first race could have been they’re off and swimming and it would have described the conditions the field faced.

The weather turned nasty soon after the horses moved out for the first race and a heavy deluge swept across the Breakfast Creek track.

When the barrier released the field, the rain was still reasonably light, however as the race progressed, the downpour intensified.

By the time the field had completed one lap of the 2138-metre race, visibility had deteriorated and if you were watching on a television, identifying any horse or driver proved nigh impossible.

Luckily those watching on a screen had Barsby’s call to rely on and somehow in the poor visibility, the accuracy was pinpoint.

Mach Da Vinci was able to overcome the terrible conditions to score a commanding victory, providing Leonard Cain with an armchair – albeit soggy – ride to the line.

Pulling clear down the stretch, the four-year-old had just over 19 metres to spare on the line, demolishing his rivals.

The win was quite a statement with the upcoming Summer Carnival features as Mach Da Vinci puts forward his claim as the best Open-class horse in the state.

Luckily the weather did improve, and the track once again stood up to the rigours of the Queensland storm season.

THE MILESTONE

Redcliffe was the scene of a pair of milestones for two drivers last week on Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon at The Triangle.

Scoring career driving win 499 the previous Wednesday at Redcliffe with Im A Classy Girl, Matt Elkins had to endure a week in the nervous 90s.

Fast forward to the Redcliffe meeting on October 27, and Elkins was able to breakthrough for victory to claim his 500th career driving success.

The winning drive came aboard the mare Butcherfeelgood for trainer Dan Russell and there would have been some nervous moments for trainer, driver and punters alike.

As the field were circling behind the barrier awaiting to be called in position, the mare was in a cantankerous mood and proving a real handful to get to the outside of the track.

Eventually getting into position as the field was released, Elkins gave the mare time to settle and floated back to settle at the rear of the pack.

Still at the rear with 400 metres to go, Magical Matty made his move, angling up three-wide with a trail before pushing even wider rounding the home turn.

Charging down the outside, Butcherfeelgood was first across the line with a half-neck the winning margin to claim her eighth career win.

All eight of those wins have come with Elkins in the sulky, with the daughter of Mr Feelgood having to overcome tough barriers for every victory, owing to her reluctance to be in position at the start.

Driving his first winner back in the 2013/14 season, Elkins has been lighter on the winners this season but has still been able to lead home the field on 57 occasions this term, with the next 500 firmly in the target zone.

Meanwhile on Thursday afternoon at Redcliffe, Nathan Dawson landed his 200th winner this season to consolidate his second place in the State Drivers title.

The 200th came aboard the Donny Smith-trained Katacha Man and provided a 200-win season for the third time in Dawson’s career.

THE WILDCARD

There are rarely two mares qualifying races ever held on the same card, however on Saturday night at The Creek, the number of nominations allowed the handicappers to conduct two.

So, the effort of Trent Dawson to claim driving success in both events proved an uncommon and exceptional occurrence and for both mares it was his second win aboard each.

The first win came with Newmerella Ladykay for trainer and Trent’s ‘father-in-law’ Brett Towns with the mare claiming her 10th race success when scoring by a head margin, with the win also her first for Brett taking over her training from his father Max.

Brett and Max bred the Mr Feelgood mare out of Delectable Dolly, a mare they purchased back in 2007 from a Seymour Dispersal Sale.

At stud, Delectable Dolly has produced just the two foals to race thus far, Newmerella Molly – the winner of five races – and Newmerella Ladykay.

In claiming the mares qualifying victory on Saturday, Newmerella Ladykay took her record to 10 wins and a further 21 placings.

The second of the driving double for Trent came just one race later when piloting Cheesandkisses to a swooping win down the centre of the track.

Bred, owned and trained by Shane Fraser, it was just the third time that Dawson had taken the reins behind the mare in a race, having now won on two occasions.

Fraser has had a great year with the progeny of his mare Bangkok Dancer, with four of her progeny winning races this season, three of those successful on a Saturday night metropolitan card at Albion Park.

Cheesandkisses in claiming her fifth career victory, joined her siblings Manila Playboy and Bangkok Deejay as Saturday night winners.

For Trent Dawson, the win of Cheesandkisses edged him closer to 50 wins for the season, taking his win tally to 47.

With two months of the season left to run, Dawson may just be able to reel in his 2010/11 PB of 57 wins, however he is currently leading the state in percentage strike-rate with a win percentage of 22%.

THIS WEEK

The whole week will take a different shape with Redcliffe hosting a non-TAB fixture on Tuesday to coincide with the Melbourne Cup.

A six-race card will be held with an early start of 11.15am with the last at 1.45pm, just in time to take in the race that stops the nation.

Racing will return to The Triangle on Wednesday night for a 10-race card with the Peninsula Club also hosting racing on Friday afternoon.

It seems like just last week the TAB Queensland Constellations was wrapped up and this week the Summer Carnival will get underway.

Albion Park kicks off the carnival with the newest race, the Peak of the Creek heats being held on Thursday night, with those progressing to the Final just two nights later, on Saturday November 6.

Connections of horses that qualify choose their own barrier for the $50,000 Group 2 Final in order of finishing position and fastest individual time.

Saturday at Albion Park shapes as a huge night of action to kickstart the Carnival.

Complementing the Peak of the Creek Final is the Group 3 Be Good Johnny Sprint, the Listed Queen of the Creek for mares, a Group 3 Trotters Mobile event over 2138 metres and QBRED features for the two and three-year-olds.

The two-year-old QBRED For Life is a mixed sex, $30,000 Group 3 event over 1660 metres with the three-year-olds having individual events for each, both boasting $30,000 in stakes and Group 3 status to be held over 2138 metres.

By Darren Clayton for Racing Queensland