Queensland Harness Racing Wrap - January 31

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

THE GOOD

Season 2022 has started in a whirlwind for trainer Ben Battle, who, after the completion of the first month of the season, is the leading trainer in Queensland.

Even Battle would be the first to admit that never would he think he would be atop the trainer’s premiership after such a short time residing at the Mutdapilly property that is the base for he and wife Tamara.

“Those bigger stables are starting to nip at our heels now but it’s a good feeling to be on top, even if it is only the first month of the season,” Battle said.

It has been a solid achievement for the Battle stable, with currently 24 horses in work, to be leading the way, with the young trainer philosophical about his chances of remaining in the lead.

“Just to know that we can mix it with the bigger stables justifies what we are doing,” he said.

Moving to nine wins for the season on Thursday at Redcliffe, Battle also chalked up a milestone when claiming the 100^th win of his training career.

The triple figures came via a new addition to the stable, Lexys Got A Reason, who was able to win at the first attempt since joining the Battle stable.

Owned by Eugowra breeder Lex Crosby, the gelding was sent to Battle after claiming a solitary win when prepared in New South Wales by Bernie Hewitt.

Having known Crosby through his time working for Hewitt earlier in his career, Battle had previous success for Crosby with Im With Lexy and In The Paper.

“Im With Lexy was a really nice mare and I would have loved to have kept her, but she is back with Lex and I think she had an Art Major foal just recently,” Battle explained.

Lexys Got A Reason was driven to victory by Nathan Dawson, with the trainer and driver pair forming a strong partnership to start the season, leading both premierships in Queensland.

The Battle/Dawson combination were back in the winner’s enclosure on Friday, with the driver guiding Strong Response to an all the way win over the 2138-metre journey.

The victory of Strong Response took Battle to 10 winners for the season and with no runners to add to the tally on Saturday night, ends the month with a one-win lead over Chantal Turpin.

The 10 wins have come from just 35 starters, the wins returning at a smart strike-rate of 29%, with six placings also being registered.

Starting to build his team nicely, the current team is a mixture of unraced potential and some handy performers that will hopefully make their way to be competitive at metropolitan level.

Call Me Keith is one that Battle hopes will make it through to Saturday night company with the gelding in top form since resuming from a spell.

“He had an issue with a hind heel that required surgery, so he spent six months recovering from that,” Battle said.

“The prognosis was not good when we first discovered it, but he has returned and I think he will turn into a handy Saturday night horse in time.”

Picking up a Rock N Roll World yearling at the recent APG sales, Battle went to $10,000 to secure the colt which ranks as a half-brother to Gleneagle Warrior.

“The mare has produced two handy winners here in Queensland and the way the QBRED system is, it seems a good buy at just $10,000, but time will tell I guess,” he said.

“I bought it for myself, but the phone kept ringing after the sale with people wanting to buy in, to the point that now I only have 20% of him.”

There may be 11 months left of 2022, but the start could not have been much better.

THE BAD

After some impressive trials with an eye to a potential Chariots of Fire campaign, the meticulous planning of trainer Shane Fraser has hit a potential stumbling block for his star four-year-old Manila Playboy.

Having last raced back in December when scoring a devastating victory over Big Wheels, Manila Playboy had looked primed for his race return after two sharp trials.

Off the back of these impressive hit outs, Manila Playboy was sent out as a raging $1.04 favourite to claim a qualifying win on Saturday night at Albion Park.

Unable to get across to the lead, Manila Playboy was forced to sit outside the leader and approaching the 300-metre point, put the leader to sleep and began to pull clear.

Looking like he was about to put up a big margin as he turned for home with a commanding lead, the four-year-old started to feel the pressure and was shortening stride.

Swamped in the closing stages, Manila Playboy held on for third placing, however a subsequent veterinary examination revealed a complaint that has put the Chariots campaign in serious doubt.

It was not the best night for Fraser with, Cheesandkisses also facing a veterinary embargo after she was found to be suffering a problem.

Not all was lost on the night however, with Bangkok Deejay claiming victory in the last race of the night.

Having his first start of his three-year-old term, the A Rocknroll Dance gelding possessed too much speed over the closing stages to run past the race favourite Awaywego.

It was an impressive return from the three-year-old to claim his third race victory from just six starts, putting some brightness in an otherwise tough night at the office for Fraser.

THE MILESTONE

It was a momentous week for Veivers Racing both on and off the track.

Off the track, Dannielle and Ryan welcomed the newest addition to their stable when Dannielle gave birth on Saturday January 22 to a daughter.

On the track, the efforts saw Ryan train a double at Redcliffe that included training the winning quinella in one and Dannielle claiming a training win on Tuesday at The Creek.

Mongolian Conqueror, a pacer that Danielle also owns scored his third victory since crossing the Tasman, leading throughout with Zac Chappenden taking the reins for the new mum.

On Wednesday night at Redcliffe, it was Ima Birubi Boy and Altana Blue that were able to cross the line first in their respective races to spearhead the stable double.

It also proved to be a successful night for the Murray family, owners of both winners.

Adding to the moment, Ima Birubi Boy defeated Artistic Saint, a pacer also trained by Veivers and owned by the Murrays.

Ima Birubi Boy is owned by David Murray and his son Peter, the pair also owning Altana Blue, while Artistic Saint is shared in ownership with Josh and Brad Murray.

Adept at finding tried horses and giving them another chance, the Murrays have developed a strong relationship with the Veivers stable in the past 18 months.

Ima Birubi Boy previously raced for the Murrays with Chantal Turpin where he claimed one win before the gelding spent time in Tasmania with Ben Yole where he was unable to find success.

Returning to the Sunshine State and joining the Veivers stable, the victory was the 10^th win since taking over his training.

Altana Blue followed a similar career to his stablemate, having raced in Queensland for the Murrays before venturing interstate, scoring victories in both South Australia and Tasmania before returning to Queensland.

Since his return, Altana Blue has now claimed a further four victories.

THE WILDCARD

Bringing up 50 training wins with her first winner in the 2022 season, Melissa Kendall has started the year on target to exceed her previous best season.

The latest victory came at The Creek on Friday with Diego Delgado scoring a maiden-breaking win with Kendall’s husband Phil Chappenden taking the reins.

A work in progress, six-year-old gelding Diego Delgado was stepping out for his 13^th race appearance and proved too strong after sitting outside the leader and then holding off a late challenge by Whata Sport to open his win account.

Not starting his career until after turning four-years-old, Diego Delgado has shown ability but has been plagued by tractability issues, having been sent back to the trials on three separate occasions.

After his latest banishment by the stewards back to the trials, the change of season has seen the gelding racing much cleaner.

Signifying a win was just around the corner, Diego Delgado started the season finishing as the runner-up on three successive occasions.

Finally finding the right conditions, Chappenden was content to sit outside the leader, Pride And Loud, and approaching the 500-metre point had worked to the front to take control.

Trying to establish a winning break, the six-year-old was on tired legs but under Chappenden’s urgings was able to hold on for the maiden victory.

The latest win for Kendall takes her career record to 52 wins, with Holdingno Currency bringing up the half-century earlier in January.

Closing the month with three wins, Wild About Town providing the other alongside his stable mates, the season ahead could be the best yet for Melissa and Phil.

THIS WEEK

The first month of the 2022 season in behind us and the first meeting for the week in Queensland will be Tuesday, February 1 from The Creek.

February arriving signifies the Team Teal campaign and once again all female drivers will wear teal pants to raise awareness and much need funds for ovarian cancer research and programs.

Running from February 1 through to March 13, the annual campaign has been hugely successful in recent years, with more than $15,000 raised during the 2021 campaign.

In 2022, Narissa McMullen and Chloe Butler will be the Queensland Team Teal ambassadors, wearing special race silks to complement the teal pants.

There will be five race meetings this week, with Albion Park hosting the Tuesday afternoon meeting to start the week and the Team Teal fundraising.

Redcliffe will conduct their scheduled Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon meetings before racing heads back to Albion Park to round out the week.

Friday will be a day meeting with Saturday’s metropolitan meeting wrapping up proceedings for the week.