McMullen blitz on The Creek

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

THE GOOD

Pacing power couple Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen had a successful night at Albion Park on Saturday, claiming a quartet of victories from the ten races held.

Heading to the meeting with what looked on paper a strong hand, the results franked the pre-race assessments with all four winners starting as the favourites.

Talented four-year-old Will The Wizard was the first winner to salute, claiming a strong victory when first-up since a successful Summer Carnival campaign.

Starting from the second line, the gelding was driven patiently as the pace was strong at the front before making a move off the back straight.

Looming ominously as the field swung for home, Will The Wizard was forced to dig deep in moving past a game The Fortunate Son to claim a two-metre victory.

The win took his record to 10 victories as he closes in on $100,000 on career earnings, with wins at his two, three and now four-year-old seasons.

The strength of his past three wins - including a win over Governor Jujon - might just be the carrot to consider a southern campaign with the New South Wales Carnival of Miracles approaching.

Betterthandiamonds was the second of the Turpin-trained winners when the mare claimed the seventh race of the night.

Another landing gate nine, the mare was settled in the running line prior to finishing powerfully to arrive for the narrowest of victories over the pacesetter, Rockslide.

A mare that had shown plenty of ability as a juvenile, that ability was matched by a headstrong nature that proved costly on many occasions.

Becoming a more seasoned and all-round race mare, the daughter of Betterthancheddar is now two from two this season.

Bringing up the hat-trick of victories for the husband and wife team was Lombo Heaven, who was able to cruise home when demolishing his rivals.

Sent straight to the front from gate two, the six-year-old was full of running to power home to victory, with his nearest rival over 19 metres away.

The win made it two from three since joining the Turpin stable, with plenty more victories on offer after the strength of his win.

The quartet was complete when classy mare A Rainbow Delight was able to lead all the way to score in effortless fashion in a mares qualifier.

With opening splits of 28.6 and 30.7 seconds, McMullen was calling the shots and the field were chasing in vain thereafter, with the mare scoring easily in a 1.55.2-mile rate.

With a strong team of juvenile performers last term complemented by some new additions to the barn, the season ahead looks bright for Chantal and Pete.

THE BAD

Eyre I Go has proven to be more than a handful since arriving in Australia.

Prior to his most recent assignment, the square gaiter had made costly errors in four of his five outings which had included being banished to the trials on two occasions.

Causing his connections headaches, young trainer Trent Lethaby was given the opportunity to take over the training of five-year-old.

Stood down for one trial at the time Lethaby took him on, he was able to navigate that embargo and get the trotter back to the races.

After finishing fourth at his first start for Lethaby, he was able to complete the course without issue, however the bad manners were back at play in his next start.

Making an error in that outing, he then made another error at his next start, causing stewards to banish the gelding to the trials for two clear workouts to earn his race return.

Completing those trials, it was back to the races on Friday, where Eyre I Go was facing a 50-metre handicap against seven other rivals.

Safely away, Lethaby had the reins and sent the Majestic Son gelding around to race outside the leader.

From there, he was able to control the race and the issues that had been his nemesis until this point of his Queensland career were forgotten as he was able to secure his first Australian win.

It was also the first trotting winner prepared by Lethaby since arriving in Queensland.

Eyre I Go may have caused some headaches, but just over 24 hours later, Lethaby was again in the winner’s enclosure, to make a successful end to the week.

Red Castleton who he owns along with Taleah McMullen, scored an eye-catching victory in Saturday night company.

The eight-year-old was having his fourth Queensland start, with McMullen having partnered the gelding on each occasion.

Biding time back in the pegs, McMullen angled to the outside as the field swung for home, unleashing a devastating closing sprint to score victory.

Panadol is one remedy but ask any trainer and they will concur that a winner is the best medicine for any bad headache.

THE MILESTONE

It pays to be QBRED!

That tagline was never more evident than last Wednesday night at Redcliffe when half of the ten races were won by horses that also picked up the winning bonus as QBRED-eligible progeny.

Four of the five picked up their second-win bonus, while one was able to secure the recently upgraded $12,000 first win bonus.

Western Showgirl was able to get the ball rolling when the four-year-old mare claimed race five on the card and secured her eighth career victory.

With seven of those wins coming last season, the Peter Greig-trained mare claimed the second win bonus of $7,500 with her first subsequent season victory.

Owners Jeff and Le-Ann Wallace have capitalised on the QBRED scheme, with Western Showgirl also picking up an extra $6,000 via the QBRED Cash Bonus races last season to go with her first win bonus.

Winning the sixth race of the night at the huge price of $56 on the UTAB tote, Tildalyn also secured connections the $7,500 second win bonus, when charging down the outside to victory.

Fortyfive Rock for trainer Norm Copeland was the next to cash-in when securing the eighth race on the night.

It took Fortyfive Rock 43 starts to win his first race - adding another three wins in his past 13 starts - the latest win his first this season also bringing the $7,500 bonus for connections.

Amander was the fourth to secure the second-win sweetener when the grant Dixon-trained and driven filly led throughout to claim a narrow victory.

Completing the QBRED bonanza was Laker, the Linda Graham-owned and bred three-year-old claiming the $12,000 first win bonus with Angus Garrard at the reins.

Trained by Darrel Graham, the gelded son of Lanercost could prove an astute buy for a prospective buyer, with the gelding placed on the market following his victory.

With the upcoming Australian Pacing Gold sale this Sunday, can you afford not to buy QBRED?

THE WILDCARD

He has been a man in demand recently, but Mark Rees has delivered on and off the track in the past week.

On the track, it was a mixed bag for Rees who competed with his team on Wednesday night at Redcliffe and then on Saturday night at Albion Park.

At The Triangle, Ale Ale Kai - a mare that Rees part owns - was able to frank some of her recent eye-catching performances when scoring a smart win over the 2040-metre trip.

There would have been a loud cheer from The Peak Pub, with the other part-owners of Ale Ale Kai all buying into the mare after a round of drinks one night at their ‘local’ watering hole at Peak Crossing.

Starting from inside the second line, Dannielle Veivers had the reins and was soon into the running line before finishing over the top of her opponents to claim victory over the race favourite, Rum Delight.

With one other horse in for the evening, unfortunately the double could not be delivered when Atomic Bombshell could only manage a fifth placing.

Sent out as the favourite for the race, the mare was not entirely comfortable around the Redcliffe circuit in finishing in a mid-field position.

Taking a four-horse team to the track on Saturday night, it was again left to Ale Ale Kai to fly the stable flag.

With Dannielle Veivers again partnering the mare, it was a crafty drive to hold the front early before taking cover on Always A Secret approaching the 1200-metre mark.

Holding on for third, it was a smart run to finish five metres in arrears of the winner, the richly talented One Change.

Missing out with his other three on the night, off the track Rees has been busy delivering as well.

A welder extraordinaire, his services have been in demand, building yards for Narissa McMullen and Matt Elkins on their property leading up to Christmas.

In recent weeks, Rees has been assisting Ryan and Dannielle Veivers on their new training establishment, building yards as they complete improvements to the recently acquired property.

All in a week’s work as the winner’s percolate from his own Peak Crossing property.

THIS WEEK

It will be close to a full week of harness racing action in Queensland this week, with six meetings to be held across the next six days.

The action gets underway at Kilcoy with the biggest ever stand-alone harness meeting in terms of horse numbers to do battle at Moonee Valley of the North.

With eight races down for decision, the highlight is the December to January Final, a $8,120 event for horses that qualified from the heats held on December 28.

Gosling In Flight was a tearaway winner of his heat and has drawn ideally in gate one for trainer/driver/owner Taleah McMullen.

Also offering $8,120 in stakes is race six - the Kilcoy Moonee Valley of the North Pace - and has attracted a strong line-up.

Albion Park hosts three meetings for the week - Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday’s metropolitan meeting - while Redcliffe will be on Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.

Tuesday’s timeslot is a little different this week, with a night meeting replacing the standard day fixture.

Seven races will be decided with a start time of 5.23pm.