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Catch up on the week’s harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
Vicki Rasmussen and Shane Graham stole the show at The Creek on Saturday night, with the pair combining to win five of the 10 races on the card.
By securing the quintet of victories, it became the second time for Vicki that she has been able to train five winners in one meeting, while it was the first time that Shane has driven five on the same card.
The night started with Scarlet Babe bouncing back to winning form, aided by a patient Graham drive, sitting near the rear of the field as Jumping Jack Jimmy was setting an electric tempo in front.
Angled wider as they swung for home, Scarlet Babe cruised down to the wire to secure her eighth victory at The Creek this season and put herself right in the fight to claim the Albion Park Mare of the Year crown.
The second winner for the pair came in race 3 when El Aguila continued his good form by claiming an all the way victory.
Pouncing on the lead soon after the start, Graham had the five-year-old rolling in front and never looked in danger by claiming victory in a new personal best of 1.52.7 seconds, eclipsing his previous best of 1.53.0 secured with his win five starts back.
One of the features of the night was the Christmas Cup and once again it was a front-running masterclass by Graham to illicit the best out of Turn It Up to claim victory.
Sent to the front as the arms folded, Turn It Up was able to amble through an 80.3-second lead time for the 2680-metre journey and then had those back in the pack in all sorts of bother with a 60.6-second opening half of the last mile.
Running off the back straight in 28.5 seconds, it was going to be a turn and burn and that is exactly what Graham was able to achieve, scorching the home stretch in 26.1 to claim an effortless six-metre victory.
Governor Jujon lost no admirers with a gallant second placing, while Colt Thirty One ran possibly the fastest ever closing 400-metre split ever recorded at The Creek, clocking his own last panel in a mind-boggling 25.17 seconds.
One race later and again it was a front running victory for Graham, this time aboard Italian Lad who made the most of an improved barrier after a run of tough gates.
Always in control over the 2138-metre trip, the four-year-old claimed his third victory since joining the Rasmussen stable back in June.
The last of the five winners came via the passing lane when No Doubt finished hard along the inside to claim another victory in what has been a consistent season from the five-year-old.
Starting his season in May with a first-up win in a Trot Rods event at Redcliffe, by claiming victory in Saturday’s qualifying pace, No Doubt took his record for season 2021 to 30: 6-7-6.
With the fab-five on Saturday, Vicki took her season tally to 80 winners, while Shane passed 150 winners for the term to move to 152 driving wins.
The only other time Vicki secured a quintet of victories was in November of 2012.
That was a Tuesday meeting at Albion Park, where her five winners were Jesse Magee, Jacks A Smarty, Rosa Mach, Passadena and Lucky Voodoo, with Shane driving three to victory and Kylie Rasmussen the other two.
To see the results from Albion Park last Saturday click here.
THE BAD
Without a win since March 2019, Spike Bromac had endured a lean spell where at times it looked doubtful if another win would come his way.
Claimed 12 months after that previous win by Ryan Veivers in March of 2020, the gelding would have just two starts before moving on to Mat Wright.
Sent for a spell, he would not be seen at the races for another six months, his first race for Wright in November, 2020.
Over the next 12 months, Spike Bromac would have 13 starts under Wright’s care where he would go winless.
Returning to Ryan Veivers, the nine-year-old indicated he may have found some of his racing zest when stepping out with a slick trial performance at Albion Park.
Sent to the races on Friday for his third run for Veivers, 633 days after his last appearance in the trainer’s colours, Spike Bromac was able to turn back the clock.
Sent straight to the front as the field was released, driver Chloe Butler was able to pinch an absolute bargain first quarter of 31.9 seconds.
That was the catalyst for the victory, with plenty in the tank after the easy time, Butler was able to dictate in front before ripping home in a 54.7 closing half to put the race out of reach for the chasers.
The win was the 15th career success for Spike Bromac, and sixth Albion Park win.
Friday’s win saw the gelding make it 993 days between victories, proving there may be some more wins in his rejuvenated legs.
THE MILESTONE
Trent Hodges was able to break through for his first driving win this season when steering a pacer he trains, Writeaboutchelsea to victory at Marburg on Sunday.
With 14 placings and 44 unplaced returns for the season, it was starting to look likely that an elusive victory would pass by for season 2021.
However, a front-running drive aboard the nine-year-old mare was able to break the drought, with Writeaboutchelsea able to secure victory by just under five metres.
Capitalising on barrier one, Hodges was able to secure an easy opening half and then slowly increase the tempo to claim victory over Our Eduardo Denario with Lord Denzel grabbing third in the closing stages.
The win was the 13th victory for the season for Hodges as a trainer with Noel Parrish and Trent Moffat doing most of the driving for the stable.
Manoflisa has been in the winner’s enclosure on seven occasions this season for Hodges with the two wins for Writeaboutchelsea placing her second in the stable pecking order.
Hodges had three runners in at Marburg on Sunday, Manoflisa unable to match the deeds of his stablemate when finishing at the rear of the field.
Artistic Humma was the third of his trio and while the mare was given little hope by punters as a $126 chance, a good drive by Noel Parrish saw the five-year-old grab second placing behind Littledee.
At his current strike-rate, Hodges looks set to secure his 50th training success next season, the latest victory taking his career tally to 40 wins.
THE WILDCARD
Boom Boom Hall is a Blissful Hall entire formerly trained by Chantal Turpin that claimed nine of his 12 victories in Queensland before embarking on a stud career.
Now owned by George Michael, Boom Boom Hall has had two starters grace the track and on Thursday was represented by his first winner courtesy of Melton Boomer.
Trained by John McMullen who has had a long association with Michael, Melton Boomer is a third-generation progeny of a Michael-bred pacer.
Out of the un-raced Melton Mab, she in turn is out of the 11-time winner Melton Mabel.
Now a three-year-old, Melton Boomer broke his maiden status in tough fashion, sitting outside the leader and fighting hard over the closing stages to prevail by a head margin.
In claiming the breakthrough victory, Melton Boomer also secured the $12,000 QBRED first win bonus on top of the prizemoney.
The gelding was one of three bonus recipients on Thursday with Champagne Reactor and Vermont both picking up the $7,500 second win bonus.
It was another good week for QBRED progeny with a first win bonus also going to Tee Ravelling at Redcliffe on Wednesday night.
The week was rounded out with an extra $1,000 in QBRED Cash going to the connections of Littledee, Butcherfeelgood and Sir Bulski who were all successful at Marburg on Sunday.
THIS WEEK
With no Saturday night metropolitan fixture this week owing to Christmas Day, the schedule will be lighter this week with four meetings to be held in Queensland.
Albion Park will host a nine-race card on Tuesday to be complemented by a day meeting on Christmas Eve.
Redcliffe will host the other two meetings, a regular Thursday afternoon meeting along with a big Christmas meeting on Wednesday night.
The Wednesday meeting is a strong fixture with the Doolittle Lodge Christmas Cup, AQWA Constructions Trotters Cup and the Redcliffe Guineas all drawing together strong fields.
