By Jordan Gerrans
Trainer Darren Weeks was not expecting to see the likes of dual-Miracle Mile winner King Of Swing so early in the TAB Queensland Constellations but he believes it will help his star Spankem build into the carnival.
With the TAB Queensland Constellations carnival officially launched on Tuesday morning, the big guns of pacers from Australia and New Zealand are set to descend on Albion Park as early as Saturday evening for the Listed Lucky Creed Open Pace (2680m).
From the leading Luke McCarthy team, champion pacer King Of Swing is on the way to Brisbane this week for a clash with 2019 Miracle Mile winner Spankem, who is now based in the Sunshine State with Weeks and driver Kylie Rasmussen.
Weeks is embracing the challenge of seeing King Of Swing, the TAB Blacks A Fake winner from last year, much earlier than first anticipated.
“We were not expecting these good ones to be there quite yet but it will be good, it will make him work a bit harder anyway - it will get him harder,” Weeks said.
“There is a real buzz around and it is good for any sport to see the top athletes in those sports on show.
“We are really looking forward to Saturday night.
“This is why we are in the sport, to get to the top races and race against the best.
“It is good that they are coming here and we get to race them in our own backyard.”
McCarthy is likely to have fellow stable stars Expensive Ego and Spirit Of St Louis in Queensland alongside King Of Swing in the near future.
Spankem is considered one of the top handful of pacers based in New Zealand before his recent transfer to Weeks and Rasmussen.
He recently departed the team of champion trainer Mark Purdon and driver Natalie Rasmussen in New Zealand.
Weeks was a little shocked to get the phone call initially that Spankem was coming to his barn he says, but declared he can always find a box at his stable for a star like Spankem any day.
Racing Queensland's Senior Racing Manager for Harness David Brick is excited to have Spankem - a 20-time career winner from just over 50 starts - in the Sunshine State for the TAB Constellations.
“To have him trained in Queensland, Darren and Kylie have had a number of horses sent over to them in recent times and it is fantastic to have a horse like him here, a Miracle Mile winner,” Brick said.
“He has won over $1.5 million so it is fantastic for us here in Queensland to have a horse like him sent here.
“He is not just sent for one or two races; he will run his whole campaign here.
“We are really looking forward to seeing him go around this week against King Of Swing, which is fantastic.”