Queensland harness racing wrap

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

THE GOOD

Trainer Chantal Turpin’s dominance of the two-year-old trotting ranks in Queensland continued last Tuesday when Razzleme Dazzleme (Sebastian K) claimed the Springboard Series Final.

Driven by husband Pete McMullen, Razzleme Dazzleme was slowly into stride from the standing start before McMullen let the flashy gelding slide forward and with 1000 metres to travel, had assumed control.

That allowed the stable-mate Wewillseehowwego to receive the trail for the last lap and as the lead pair edged clear of the rest of the chasing pack, a stretch duel looked set.

However, Wewillseehowwego overstretched as he found open air and his chances evaporated as he galloped out of contention.

That allowed Razzleme Dazzleme to cruise to the wire with over 10 metres to spare and stop the clock in a 2.00.3 mile-rate, shattering the age record set two weeks prior by Wewillseehowwego.

Darting through to grab second was another Turpin trained runner, with Narissa McMullen taking the reins of the filly Keneturio, with the Trent Moffat trained and driven Ysmir holding on for third.

Such is the dominance of the trotting two-year-old ranks, Turpin has secured 11 wins this season from five horses and claimed three age records.

Another of the team that did not compete in the Springboard Series after winning both her starts this season for Turpin was Susan Is Her Name.

That filly was a winner at her first Victorian appearance the day prior to the Springboard Final last Monday to remain undefeated in three career starts.

Susan Is Her Name has been sent to the leading stable of Emma Stewart to target upcoming feature races and looked impressive once again in scoring at Maryborough.

Not only has the Turpin/McMullen team dominated the two-year-old trotting ranks, but the couple were also able to secure the double with You No Ill Be Late taking victory in the three-year-old Springboard Final.

Sent straight to the front by ‘Leader Peter’, the big colt was kept rolling in front and was strong throughout, finishing off with one of the fastest last 800 metre sections seen at The Creek by a trotter, closing out in 56.7 seconds.

The winning rate of 2.00.9 for the 2138-metre stand shattered the age record which has stood for the past five years, by 2.1 seconds.

You No Ill Be Late was bred by Jake Turpin and is the first foal of a mare that was bred by Chantal and Pete, Illdoitwhenimready, which also holds an age record at The Creek.

In 2016, Illdoitwhenimready claimed the three-year-old fillies record for the mobile 2138 metres, her winning time of 2.02.8 still stands as an age record.

In securing the victory, You No Ill Be Late becomes the first horse to claim the two/three-year-old double of the Springboard Series and will be out for redemption in this week’s QBRED Final after an error ended his chances in last year’s two-year-old edition when starting favourite.

THE BAD

New South Wales based trainer Chris Frisby has drawn the curtain on his Queensland campaign for 2022, which has extended to almost six months this year.

A regular in the Sunshine State to bypass the depth of the Bathurst winters, the larrikin trainer arrived in April and looks set to depart with a winning double secured at The Creek on Saturday night.

With similar career records, five-year-old mare Jenden Strike (Betterthancheddar) and four-year-old mare Aunty Bella (Western Terror) were both able to secure victory in their respective events in similar time.

Aunty Bella claimed career win 13 to edge past $150,000 in stake earnings, with Jenden Strike taking career win 14 as she approaches earnings $180,000.

Both are feature race winners at Albion Park, with Jenden Strike taking the 2020 South East Oaks, while Aunty Bella secured the four-year-old mares Triad Final back in August of this year.

Nathan Dawson handled the reins of Jenden Strike on Saturday and from gate three was able to work to the front soon after the start of the 2138 metre contest.

Securing a steady 61.4 opening half, Dawson had his opposition chasing and through a 56.1 closing half, secured a 2.4-metre margin over the Riley Butt driven Swayzee to record a 1.56 rate.

Two races later and Shane Graham was handling Aunty Bella for Frisby and allowed the mare to settle outside the early leader Johnson Step.

Sitting parked throughout, Aunty Bella had the leader covered as they straightened and with race favourite The High Commander going off-stride in the trail, Graham was able to take a 2.8 metre winning margin in a 1.56.2 rate.

Frisby heads home but it won’t be long until he is on the road again, this time heading South from his Bathurst home as Aunty Bella looks set to take a shot at the Vicbred Series.

The mare will be the travelling companion for her talented stable mate, the two-year-old Our Sunset Delight who is the winner of three from six and looks set to tackle the Vicbred and Breeders Crown Series.

THE WILDCARD

It was a mixed bag for several Queensland trainers that campaigned interstate over the past week.

Darren McCall was able to fly the flag for Queensland, claiming a heat of the New South Wales Breeders Challenge Series for two-year-old fillies with Miss Froufrou at Newcastle on Friday night.

It was a quinella for the Sunshine State, with the Jason Carkeet trained Sky Blu hitting the line smartly to grab second placing.

In the two-year-old colts and geldings heat, the Chantal Turpin trained, and Pete McMullen driven Wisper A Secret started favourite but came up a half-neck short, finishing in second, with the Gemma Hewitt trained and Brendan Barnes driven Kerbang grabbing third.

The headline act of the Southern raid was the Grant Dixon trained Leap To Fame who competed in the second heat of the Victoria Derby at Melton on Saturday night.

Sent forward in the early stages from his second line gate, Dixon had the dual-Derby winner in front with 2000 metres left to travel, however, soon had company as Captain Ravishing sat at his wheel.

In a great two-horse battle, it was the Emma Stewart trained Captain Ravishing that was able to get the better of Leap To Fame to score by just on two-metres, running the last half in a sizzling 53.2 seconds.

Also on Saturday night, Shannon Price had a trio of runners at Menangle but was unable to land in the money with Sumomentsomewhere an unplaced favourite and both Another Statement and Van Sank just behind the placings.

Van Sank was competing in the Club Menangle Group 2 Trotters Cup over 2300 metres where Sir Fahrenheit for the father-son combination of Daren and Angus Garrard was also lining up.

Safely away from a 10 metre handicap, Angus had last season’s Queensland Trotter of the Year in front soon after the start. Leading until turning for home, the gelding faded into seventh placing.

THE MILESTONE

Trent Dawson continues to reap the rewards of turning to training full-time after securing his 200th training winner last week.

While Dawson is currently nine wins shy of his 2021 career-high total of 41 season victories with three full months of the term to run, his stake earnings are already significantly higher this season.

That is thanks to his Group 1 double on QStars night where he annexed a pair of Triads with Magical Maya and For Real Life.

Bringing up career win 199 with Love Your Work on September 24, Dawson had to wait seven days to bring up the double century, and it was another victory to Love Your Work to reach the milestone.

Pacing a sizzling 1.50.9 mile seven days prior, the gelding was required to step up to free-for-all grade on Saturday under the divided race conditions.

The scratching of Northview Hustler saw Love Your Work tumble in betting to start as the $1.33 favourite, with the market reflecting the result as it was all one-way traffic in front.

Leading through a steady opening quarter of 28.2, Dawson would have been full of confidence heading down the back straight after pinching a 30.2 second split.

Releasing the lines, Love Your Work powered through a 26.9 third quarter before a 27.9 last split stopped the clock in a 1.53.0 rate.

The win made it five successive victories for the gelded son of Western Terror, taking his career record to 15 wins from 53 starts.

THIS WEEK

Six straight days of racing for the week in Queensland starts with a Monday afternoon fixture from Marburg., where seven races are set to be decided.

Redcliffe have nine race cards for each of their Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon meetings respectively, with Albion Park racing Tuesday and Friday afternoons, along with the Saturday night metropolitan fixture.

Tuesday afternoon at The Creek will see Triad Finals for both the two-year-old and three-year-old trotters, where both races look set to be dominated by the respective Springboard Series winners.

Trainer Chantal Turpin secured both Springboard Finals and looks well placed to claim the double in both divisions with You No Ill Be Late and Razzleme Dazzleme both leading chances in their respective divisions.

With the Monday public holiday, acceptance times have been altered, with nominations for Albion Park Friday and Saturday both closing Tuesday morning at 10am with acceptances declared at 11am.

For complete race fields, click here.

by Darren Clayton, for Racing Queensland