Queensland harness racing wrap

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

THE GOOD

After three rounds of the Inter Dominion series have been completed, just one pacer and one trotter remain undefeated and on target to make a clean sweep of their respective series.

Both pre-series favourites, Leap To Fame (Bettor’s Delight) and Just Believe (Orlando Vici) were the only performer’s to complete the heat rounds with a three-from-three record and both maintained favouritism for the Championship prior to the Monday’s barrier draw.

On Saturday night it was Jason Grimson to strike first, with Nerano potentially ready to upstage his stable-mate and reigning Blacks A Fake and New Zealand Cup champion Swayzee.

From three back along the inside, Cam Hart found open space with Nerano and the six-year-old showed how lethal off speed he can be, charging hard down the outside to claim his second heat victory of the series.

The win was the 1,000th career success for Hart who has driven over 200 winners for the second successive season.

Heat two saw Better Eclipse claim a narrow victory and join Nerano as a two-time heat winner this series, underlining his versatility, by closing it out strongly to defeat a gallant Classie Washington for Daren and Angus Garrard.

Leap To Fame was clinical in his third heat win, allowed plenty of time to balance up, eventually pressing forward to take control, posting the fastest of the three 2680 metre heat wins with the 1.55.1 victory and also securing the largest winning margin.

Queen Elida secured her first heat win of the series after having her colours lowered in both precious heats, the five-year-old mare never in danger with a front-running performance.

Plymouth Chubb chased gamely to grab second placing, with the Garrard’s ensuring they will be represented in both the trotting and pacing Finals as Sir Fahrenheit held on for third.

The final heat went to the Jess Tubbs-trained and Greg Sugars-driven Just Believe, the seven-year-old claiming a dominant victory, despite being forced to work hard in the early and middle stages of the race after being pressure in front by Gus.

Ollivici, which was the only other undefeated trotter in the series, had his chance to run down Just Believe, however his fellow Victorian was too classy.

Just three trainers will have representation in both the pacing and trotting deciders, Jess Tubbs, Shannon Price and Daren Garrard.

It has been a super series for Queensland trainers with five trainers able to qualify for the pacing Final – Grant Dixon (Leap To Fame), Shannon Price (Speak The Truth), Shane Graham (Turn It Up), Garrard (Classie Washington) and Trent Dawson (Future Assured), with Dixon the only trainer to have made a previous Final.

In true testament to how far trotting has advanced in Queensland, five trainers will be represented by six horses in Saturday night’s Final and all five will be lining up for the first time as trainers in a Final.

Price (Van Sank), Garrard (Sir Fahrenheit), Chantal Turpin (Gus), Tayla Gillespie (Majestic Lavros) and Jack Butler (Adelle and Funny Face) have all qualified for the $250,000 Final.

THE BAD

No one likes to age before their time and owing to some miscommunication in the past week, Hall of Famer Vic Frost, was being sent well wishes for his 82nd birthday.

However, it was not Vic’s birthday, and he was being given an extra year that was not yet ready to tick over.

Ever the gentleman, it did not bother Vic and to ‘celebrate’ the occasion, he was able to claim a winning double at Redcliffe on Thursday.

Docta Feelgood was the first leg of the double when the five-year-old was able to claim the tenth win of his career with a dominant win in smart time around ‘The Triangle’ with Paige Bevan taking the drive.

One race later and fellow five-year-old Scotch En Ice made it successive victories with Angus Garrard driving, the gelding extending his winning record to 12 career wins.

“Vic has always had an opinion of Scotch En Ice, we lost him there for a little bit, but we have tried a few things, and he looks to be back better than ever,” Gail Geeson – Frost’s wife – said.

“Kylie (Rasmussen) told us that Docta Feelgood is not that far behind the other guy and could end up being better.

“Docta Feelgood has been racing really well at Albion, but he just loves Redcliffe and that was a super win. But, Scotch En Ice, Vic really likes him.”

So much so that Scotch En Ice will now likely head to Albion Park this Saturday night where a suitable race looks to have been found.

“Ewa Justice found a race for him on Finals night, so I said to Vic ‘well you will have to be there because I want to socialise that night,” Geeson laughed.

“Vic said he will be there,and he has a real spring in his step this week, it’s fantastic.”

Inter Dominion Grand Final night and Vic Frost training a winner on the card – bring on Saturday night.

THE MILESTONE

Taleah McMullen celebrated a winning double at Marburg on Sunday with the second leg providing an even sweeter milestone moment.

Leading throughout on seven-year-old gelding Rancho Man for her father John, Taleah, in her sixth full season of driving, was able to reach 500 career victories when the son of Mr Feelgood held on for victory.

After a strong 2022 season where she was able to claim 115 wins for the term, Taleah will likely fall short of triple figures in 2023, her latest win taking the tally to 73 for the year.

It was the 150th career start for Rancho Man on Sunday, the gelding having been a consistent performer throughout his career, registering his 14th life time win, with at least one victory every racing season since claiming his maiden breaking two-year-old win in August 2018.

Taleah has been in the seat for 10 of those 14 victories, with the gelding showing his liking of the tight Marburg circuit, registering seven wins at the Showgrounds.

It was a winning double for Taleah and John McMullen, the pair combining earlier in the day with Shes Classy.

Arriving from New Zealand in the middle of the year as a one-win pacer, the filly has been thereabouts in some stronger races and took full advantage of securing gate one at Marburg.

Sent straight to the front, the three-year-old daughter of Vincent was never in danger, holding an eight-metre margin over Get Me Outta Here for Dan Russell and Jordan Topping.

Having campaigned a small team in New South Wales through late October and early November with partner Trent Lethaby, McMullen had success at Menangle with Red Right Hand.

Also, claiming a victory was her own trotter, Scruffy Doolan, at the start of the trip, it was almost the prefect end to the campaign when the seven-year-old went within a half-neck of victory at the final run before heading home to Queensland.

THE WILDCARD

On the verge of doubling his previous best season, Trent Moffat had a successful past week, highlighted by a training quinella at Redcliffe on Wednesday night.

With two runners engaged, Moffat was committed to drive his own mare, Shadys Cullect, with Paige Bevan picking up the drive aboard Headwin.

Moffat hustled hard out of the mobile with Shadys Cullect to hold the front, running the opening quarter in 29.1 seconds before easing them to a 31.3 second split.

Slowly building on the tempo, Moffat increased to a 29 second third split and turning for home was sitting confidently on the four-year-old.

Finishing them off in 28.9 seconds, Shadys Cullect had seven metres to spare on the line over Headwin which had started to chase the stable-mate after racing in the one-by-one trail throughout.

Stopping the clock in a rate of 1.57.1, the time established a new personal best for Shadys Cullect, the mare extending her record to nine wins and 20 placings for Moffat.

Bred, owned, trained and driven by Moffat, the four-year-old has been a good money-spinner to date in her career, as she edges closer to her half-brother Shadys Delight who is the winner of 12 races.

For Moffat, he ended the week with another winner, albeit having to share the spoils, as Chanceless Century made a late dive at Marburg, the judge unable to declare a margin with a dead heat declared.

Moving to 23 training winners for the term, Moffat needs just one more winner to double the 12 recorded in 2023.

THIS WEEK

The highlight of the week will be the climax to the 2023 Inter Dominion Series with both Finals and Consolations to be run on Saturday night.

The barrier draw was set to be completed on Monday afternoon at Tangalooma resort on Moreton Island, with the pacers draw a vital piece of the puzzle.

Part of the big week of festivities for ID23 is the Australasian Young Drivers Championship, with heats to be held at every meeting this week, starting at Albion Park on Tuesday when three heats will be conducted.

Queensland will be represented by Angus Garrard and Leonard Cain with the pair able to call on local knowledge to help in their quest to chase down the title.

In order to ensure the racing surface at Albion Park is in optimum condition, Friday’s race meeting will be held at Redcliffe, with three meetings for the week to be held on The Triangle.

by Darren Clayton, for Racing Queensland