Queensland Harness Racing Wrap

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

THE GOOD

Queensland has been represented by one horse through the Inter Dominion Series, with Majestic Harry (Majestic Son) contesting the Trotters series.

The five-year-old is owned by Brittany Graham along with her mother Linda and for this series has been trained by Stephanie Graham.

After claiming valuable points in the round one heats at Ballarat, Majestic Harry faced a tough trip in the second round at Shepparton that saw him fade over the closing stages.

Heading into the final round at Geelong, the Inter Dominion dream looked to be slipping out of reach for the Graham family after being slammed with the outside front line gate.

But, fortune favours the brave and Brittany was aggressive out of the barrier and soon after the start had touched down in front of the pack, before releasing to the race favourite and multiple Group 1-winner Majestuoso.

Racing in the trail for the remainder, as the field swung for home, Majestic Harry was responding to the urgings from Brittany, just peaking over the closing stages, finishing in fifth position.

Despite lodging a protest against the third placed Sleepee, the fifth placing was enough for the dream to be fulfilled and Majestic Harry had his ticket stamped to next weekend’s big dance.

Harry has been a revelation since joining the Graham stable just over 12 months ago, crossing the Tasman following his sale out of the Jason and Megan Teaz stable from the North Island of New Zealand.

Making his first appearance in Queensland a winning one with Brittany taking the reins, Majestic Harry has now won eight races and placed in a further nine, and banked over $85,000 in stakes and lowered his personal best victory to 1.55.8.

The sister act will create history in Saturday night’s Grand Final, becoming the first set of sisters to partner in the training and driving of an Inter Dominion Finalist.

On Saturday night, Majestic Harry has drawn gate 10 for the Final, and regardless of the outcome, there will be plenty of excitement for all involved and two very proud parents in Linda and Darrel.

THE BAD

The summer storm season in the South East of the state has arrived and the destructive weather patterns saw two race meetings lost in the past week at Redcliffe.

The Sunday night fixture on November 27 fell victim to an intense storm cell that passed over the track about an hour before the first race and heavy rainfall saw mobile unable to gain traction to safely start the races.

A tremendous effort from the Redcliffe track staff ensured that despite again copping a deluge of rain on race day, Wednesday night’s race meeting was able to proceed, and all 10 races were able to be completed.

Further rainfall and storms again hit the Peninsula on Thursday morning and after initially inspecting the track, it appeared the surface was holding up enough for the afternoon meeting to commence as scheduled.

However, with heavy rain continuing to fall, a further track inspection did not bode well for the ten-race card.

QRIC stewards conducted an inspection of the track at 8.45am where the surface was deemed unsafe for racing and the meeting was subsequently abandoned.

THE WILDCARD

The battle for bragging rights for most driving wins in the season between partners Narissa McMullen and Matt Elkins looks set to go down to the wire.

With four weeks left in the season, there are 22 race meetings until season 2022 ends with Elkins and McMullen locked together at 137 wins a piece.

Narissa has been able to cash in on an enforced ‘holiday’ that Elkins is currently serving, driving seven winners in the past week, topped off with a double at The Creek on Tuesday and a treble at Marburg on Sunday.

The Tuesday double was a big turnaround, with both winners’ horses that Elkins is the regular pilot of – Skylar Bree sharing the spoils in a dead heat victory while Midnight Calm continued his solid form since arriving in Queensland.

Elkins is also the owner and trainer of Midnight Calm with the five-year-old now a winner in three of his four Albion Park starts since arriving from Tasmania and was beaten a half-neck when second at his other outing.

The gelded son of Shadow Play was sent straight to the front by McMullen and from there was never headed, claiming a powerful victory and setting a new personal best winning rate of 1.52.8 with the win.

If Narissa can repeat the efforts of the past week, it will be Matty that might just need to produce something magical, with his suspension set to expire on December 13.

THE MILESTONE

The well-named Dallas Cowgirl (Auckland Reactor) claimed her fifth career victory at Marburg on Sunday afternoon and in doing so provided her trainer, Rhonda Aldons, with her 50th career training success.

Always enjoying having a horse or two in her stable, Aldons has presented 16 starters this season, Dallas Cowgirl on eight occasions and Jaziah on eight occasions, with both mares starting at Marburg on Sunday.

Both mares were bred by Rhonda in partnership with her husband, Dr Pat Aldons, and both have followed a successful pattern that the Aldons bred stock have chartered in recent seasons.

Sending their stock to the Victorian stables of Peter Manning, they receive their early education and start their race careers from the Great Western base of Manning.

In recent years, other horses owned by the Aldons that have followed this same path include Eva Mateo, Night Ninja, Captain Foxtrot and Scheu Creek.

The two winners that Rhonda has been able to produce this season, equals her haul from the 2021 campaign that was realised after presenting 41 starters on race day.

In terms of prize money won, Jaziah and Dallas Cowgirl are third and fourth respectively for Rhonda in her all-time tally, while it is the 1 1 time winner Down Town Lad that leads the way by number of wins.

The Aldons family have been strong supporters of the Marburg club in recent seasons, having four runners at Sunday’s Marburg fixture, Jaziah and Dallas Cowgirl for Rhonda, while son Ben prepared Scheu Creek for a third placing.

Ben’s other runner was and Night Ninja, finishing unplaced, however the seven-year-old’s win at Marburg on November 6, moved his tally to eight victories on the 700 metre oval track.

That moved the gelding to second placing for most wins at the track, just two wins behind Domestic Art that has won ten races at Marburg.

THIS WEEK

Six race meetings across the week in Queensland with Albion Park and Redcliffe both hosting three meetings.

The Creek has nine races scheduled on Tuesday and will be followed by a night card on Friday and then Saturday night’s metropolitan fixture.

Redcliffe have 10 races on Wednesday night before further meetings are held at the Peninsula on Thursday afternoon and Sunday night.

Interstate, Majestic Harry will represent Queensland and the Graham family in the Trotters Inter Dominion after progressing through to the Grand Final.

Brendan Barnes will also head interstate to fly the Queensland flag, after being selected as this state’s representative in the Australasian Young Drivers Championships.

The Championships are being held all week in Victoria, starting at Melton on Tuesday night and will then go to Ballarat on Wednesday night, Maryborough on Thursday, Bendigo on Friday night and finishing with one heat on Inter Dominion Grand Final night at Melton on Saturday.

For complete race fields, click here.

by Darren Clayton, for Racing Queensland