Queensland harness racing season in review for 2022

Take a look back at the highlights from season 2022 thanks to Darren Clayton’s year in review.

JANUARY

The racing season began with a Saturday night metropolitan fixture, with the Mark Dux-trained Key Largo the first winner of 2022 in Queensland, partnered to victory by Angus Garrard.

Another outbreak of the Covid pandemic struck, forcing a number of stables into lock downs to limit the exposure to the industry.

Luke Whittaker drove his first Queensland winner since relocating from the Shaky Isles.

Steering Kensington Bill to victory, Whittaker had a season to remember, going on to claim a maiden Group 1 driving success during the Constellations Carnival.

One of Queensland’s most successful stud operations was earmarked for closure when Kevin and Kay Seymour announced that Egmont Park would be closing the gates on its commercial operations.

After initially leading the trainer’s premiership early in the season, Ryan Veivers scored his biggest success of the season.

Ryan’s wife Dannielle gave birth to the couples first child, with Alisha Rose going on to feature in many winning photos throughout the season.

Records were smashed at the APG yearling sales.

Brittany Graham went to $100,000 to secure a Sweet Lou filly.

The now two-year-old is named Dahrlinn, while Darren Weeks went to $95,000 to secure a trotting bred yearling by Volstead and obliterate the Queensland sale record for a yearling trotter.

FEBRUARY

Queensland based owner Norm Jenkin secured feature race success when his trotter Majestuoso claimed the Great Southern Star Final at Melton.

Julie Weidemann started the season back driving more regularly and was able to reach a milestone of 600 driving wins, bringing up the moment aboard Misty Creek, a pacer she also bred and owns.

The driving wins complement Julie’s training winners which are in excess of 2,300.

The Queensland Harness Awards were held to recognise the performances in Season 2021 with Jeradas Delight crowned the Horse of the Year.

Sir Fahrenheit was awarded the Trotter of the Year title, while Cane Smoke and Slipnslide were both inducted into the Queensland Harness racing Hall of Fame.

Tins A Trooper and Leap To Fame were both successful in heats of the New South Wales Derby, progressing through to the Final of the Blue Riband Classic.

The end of the month saw huge levels of rainfall that led to widespread flooding in the South East of the state.

Albion Park was heavily inundated and would be out of action for all of March.

MARCH

Grant Dixon secured the second New South Wales Derby of his career, 28 years in the making when Leap To Fame secured the first Group 1 win of his career.

After securing the 1994 edition with Jeremy Lee, the 2022 edition was a one-act affair as Leap To Fame dominated his rivals in scoring an emphatic victory to announce himself as the real-deal.

Queensland harness racing farewelled Mal Charlton following a battle with oesophageal cancer, the well-loved trainer and feed merchant training right up to his passing, including two winners in the final week of his life.

It seemed fitting that Dangerzone, a horse Charlton educated early in its career, was successful in the Vale Mal Charlton Pace, held in his honour at Redcliffe.

With Albion Park affected by the flooding from late February, metropolitan racing was held at Redcliffe throughout the month, with Marburg also stepping up to host extra meetings.

The Team Teal driver’s invitation became a victim of the flooding problems, with the event cancelled.

Show racing returned to Warwick where trainer Dayl March was able to quinella the Cantor Cup Final when Bonnies Cam held on to defeat his full sister Artful Maid. The win provided driver Brad Millard with a hometown victory.

Show racing continued on the Darling Downs, where Dayl March was again successful, taking out the Toowoomba Cup aboard Our Major Day.

Nathan Dawson was able to wrestle the lead off a suspended Pete McMullen in the State Drivers Premiership.

Rise Above All was the first two-year-old winner of the season, the Shannon Price trained gelding claiming victory at Redcliffe.

The Garrard’s Redcliffe Yearling Sale saw spirited bidding across the catalogue and reached a new benchmark in the Sales History.

Alf La Spina went to $65,000 in buying back the Rock N Roll Heaven half-brother of Tardelli.

APRIL

After no racing throughout March, the dedicated efforts of all the staff at the Albion Park track enabled racing to return to The Creek on April 1 with More Shades Of Gold winning the first race on the newly laid surface.

The first trotting feature of the season was finally held, with the Jim McNeil Final held over one month after both heats had been completed. The Grant Dixon trained Regal Appointment secured the victory, the third McNeil Series victory for his owner, Greg Mitchell via his GSM Racing enterprise.

Featuring in a name change, the inaugural Our Overanova Trotters Marathon was secured by the Rickie Alchin trained Watts Up Majestic.

Trainer Shawn Grimsey claimed his first feature victory of the season when So Am I secured the Oakwood Capital Goldstrike at Marburg.

At the last meeting in April and the 12^th since racing resumed at The Creek, Blacksadance lowered the track record when pacing the 1000 metre oval in a mile-rate of 1.50.0. The time shaved 0.4 off the previous track record held jointly by Im Themightyquinn and Cruz.

Im Themightyquinn had owned the record for 7 years, 9 months, and 25 days.

Aurora Joy secured the APG Gold Bullion for two-year-old fillies, Brendan Barnes taking the reins for New South Wales trainer Bernie Hewitt.

Cat King Cole claimed the three-year-old fillies Gold Bullion, with Group 1 winning filly only racing once more for the season.

My Ultimate Jacko was successful in the two-year-old colts and geldings, with the Dixon trained Tims A Trooper claiming the three-year-old division.

MAY

The Changeover Classic is the first two-year-old feature of the season, with the Chantal Turpin trained-The Tax Cullector proving successful, with Turpin securing the quinella with Wisper A Secret finishing in second place.

Darren McCall secured his first Group success since returning to Queensland when Girl From Oz was victorious in the APG 4YO Consolation.

Show racing returned to Marburg with a full programme of heats conducted. Unfortunately, the weather was not kind later in the day and the Finals were abandoned.

The QBRED Breeders Classic two-year-old events saw the Garrard family claim a double, Mullum Axel securing the colts and geldings event, with Mullum Ruby taking the fillies division. Both pacers were trained by Darren Weeks.

After being the first Queensland trainer to 50 wins for the season, Jack Butler relinquished the premiership lead, Grant Dixon moving to the top of the table.

Nathan Dawson was the first driver in Australia to reach 100 wins for the season, hotly followed by Pete McMullen reaching triple figures on the same day.

A hot streak of form saw McMullen take the lead in the premiership battle.

The Trot Rods Final night saw invited driver Cam Hart to claim the fastest win of the series aboard the Ricky Thurlow trained Just Dessy. Driving honours on the Final night saw Angus Garrard secure four wins and Taleah McMullen with a treble, with Hart taking a double.

JUNE

The first two-year-old trotters’ event of the year was held with a record-breaking eight starters lining up for the event. It was the Chantal Turpin trained Susan Is Her Name that was successful, Turpin preparing five of the eight starters, four of those would win races throughout the season.

Jack Butler reclaimed his lead in the trainer’s premiership and set about extending the lead to a winning break.

A second feature for the year was added to trainer Shawn Grimsey’s name when Teddy Disco secured the Garrard’s Yearling Sales Three-Year-old final. Sent to the front in the Group 2 feature by driver Nathan Dawson, Teddy Disco completed the two and three-year-old double with a dominant victory by over 25 metres.

Manila Playboy added another Redcliffe feature to his record when claiming the Gerrard’s Patrons Purse.

Victorian-based Michelle Phillips claimed the first Group 1 victory of her career when partnering with Sebs Choice to secure the Redcliffe Gold Cup for trainer ‘Bulldog’ Nicholson. It was the first time the Redcliffe Cup had been held at the elite level after receiving almost a doubling in prizemoney to be the only pacing Group 1 standing start feature in Queensland.

Tims A Trooper claimed his second feature of the season with victory in the Redcliffe Derby, while the Nathan Purdon trained Amore Vita with Cam Hart in the bike was successful in the Redcliffe Oaks. The dominant win by Amore Vita shattered a twenty-two-year-old class record for three-year-old fillies.

The Rickie Alchin trained and driven Tardelli overhauled a gallant For Real Life to take the Redcliffe Yearling Sales Series Final, with Hold On To Ya Bling in third position.

JULY

Kashed Up became the first winner of the inaugural Queensland Sun, a race restricted to horses trained in the Sunshine State and providing ballot exemption into the Rising Sun.

Narissa McMullen secured her maiden Group 1 win and reached the milestone in style, owning, training and driving Global Flight to victory in the Darrel Alexander Memorial. It was a dominant front-running performance from the gelding, rolling in front and fighting off a late challenge by Majestic Harry to secure Queensland’s only Group 1 Trotting standing start event.

Star Victorian mare Ladies In Red claimed the second running of the Rising Sun, the Emma Stewart trained mare joining the 2021 winner Amazing Dream. Nathan Jack made it a feature double on the night, with Maajida, also a Stewart trained mare, scoring in the Fleur De Lil Ladyship.

The win se a new class record for four-year-old mares over the 2138 metre trip as she held off a brave Better Eclipse with Leap To Fame battling on gamely for third.

The Victorian domination of the Constellations Carnival continued with Credit Master claiming the Group 2 Trotters Sprint on Sunshine Sprint Night.

The trophy in State’s leading sprint feature also headed South with the Jess Tubs trained and Greg Sugars driven Better Eclipse proving too tough in the Garrard’s Sunshine Sprint, defeating Spirit Of St Louis and Turn It Up.

Town Echo claimed the second running of the Group 1 Golden Girl, providing trainer and driver Jack Trainor with his first Queensland feature success.

Jewel Melody annexed her the third Group 1 of her career with victory in the APG Brisbane Sales Final, the Bernie Hewitt trained filly making a one-act affair by pulling clear to scire by over 18 metres.

Marburg joined the Constellations Carnival for the first time, with the inaugural running of the Western Star. The Mark Rees-trained and Narissa McMullen Woodlea Diego was able to lead throughout to claim victory.

Majestic Cruiser proved successful in the Blacks A Fake, the Jason Grimson trained, and Cam Hart driven seven-year-old finishing strongly down the Albion Park stretch at the end of the 2680 metre journey to deny Spirit Of St Louis the prize.

Emma Stewart secured her second Group 1 of the Constellations Carnival with Soho Historia claiming the Queensland Oaks with Mark Pitt taking the reins.

Leap To Fame claimed his second Derby for the season when he dominated his opposition in the Queensland Derby after a tough trip sitting parked.

Fairy Tinkabell shaved 0.1 off the Albion Park 1660 metre track record for mares, taking out the Listed Queen Of Hearts in 1.51.3.

Driver Luke Whittaker claimed the first Group 1 of his driving career, partnering with the Shannon Price trained Wee Man Trouble to claim the Queensland Trotters Cup

AUGUST

Grant Dixon reached a career milestone when driving his 5,000^th career winner aboard Colt Thirty One. Dixon became the fourth driver to reach the mark in Australian harness racing history, joining Chris Alford, the late Gavin Lang and Chris Lewis in the exclusive club.

Heats of the Triad Series were re-introduced into the feature race programme ahead of the all QBRED night held on August 20.

Trent Dawson headlined the Triad night claiming a Group 1 training and driving double with victories aboard Magical Maya in the three-year-old fillies and For Real Life in the two-year-old colts and geldings Final.

Ben Crosby won the first Group 1 of his training career courtesy of the three-year-old gelding Captain Shuffles, driven to victory by Shane Graham, defeating Teddy Disco and Dangerzone.

Jewel Melody continued her amazing season with another demolition in the two-year-old fillies division, scoring in a sizzling 1.53.6 rate.

Jack Butler became the first trainer to reach 100 wins for the season and maintain his lead in the trainer’s premiership, with Chantal Turpin leapfrogging into second place ahead of Grant Dixon.

Brendan Barnes became the fourth Queensland driver to 100 wins in the season, the milestone coming aboard the Graham Dwyer trained Misstrepo.

SEPTEMBER

Grass track racing returned to Kilcoy for a stand-alone six race harness meeting. Ricky Gordon took the honours on the day, claiming a driving and training double. Darrel Graham also trained a double, driving one winner and daughter Brittany driving the other.

Leap To Fame continued his big season when taken to Tamworth for a heat of the New South Wales Breeders Challenge. The race proved to be a Queensland domination with Leap To Fame shattering the track record in defeating Teddy Disco and Tims A Trooper.

Blacksadance eclipsed his own track record over the flying 1660 at The Creek, stopping the clock in a mile-rate of 1.49.2, becoming the first pacer to break 1.50 around the Breakfast Creek oval under race conditions.

Chantal Turpin scored her 100^th training win of the season, becoming the second trainer to triple figures for the term.

Paris Kay smashed the three-year-old mobile mile class record for three-year-old trotters, taking 4.8 seconds off the previous mark when trotting the mile in 1.57.5.

Chantal Turpin annexed the two-year-old and three-year-old Trotters Springboard Series Finals with wins to Razzleme Dazzleme and You No Ill Be Late in their respective events.

OCTOBER

The Turpin and McMullen domination of the juvenile trotting features continued, claiming the age double with You No Ill Be Late adding the three-year-old QBRED Triad to his Springboard Final and Keneturio taking out the two-year-old Triad.

Leap To Fame continued his remarkable season, joining a select few pacers to have won each of the three pacing Derbies on the Eastern seaboard. ‘Larry’ was brutal in his demolition victory of the Victorian Derby field, claiming a breathtaking victory.

The star three-year-old rounded out his season with a clinical performance I the New South Wales Breeders Challenge Final, claiming his fourth Group 1 of the season and breaking the 1.50 barrier with his 1.49 victory.

Queensland was well represented at Menangle on the Breeders Challenge Final night; however, it was only Leap To Fame able to claim victory. Teddy Disco, Sky Blu and Kashed Up all placed in their respective Finals

NOVEMBER

After starting her career without defeat in Queensland, Susan Is Her Name was sent to Victoria by owner Bruce Wyborn to chase bigger features. The move paid dividends with the filly claiming the two-year-old trotting fillies Breeders Crown Final, providing Wyborn with his first Group 1 trophy.

Kingdom Come provided trainer Richard Hutchinson with the first Group win of his career when claiming the 1Equine Trotting Feature at Albion Park. It was a knockout for the punters, with the veteran going off at $101.

Speed Dating won the second running of the Peak of the Creek, a superbly executed drive from Nathan Dawson getting the mare home to take the Group 2 victory and continue the strong season for trainer Shawn Grimsey.

Mach Da Vinci secured his second Queensland Cup with Leonard Cain taking the reins behind the Shane graham trained pacer. The result replicated the quinella of the 2021 edition of the race, with Turn It Up finishing in second place for the second consecutive year.

Majestic Harry earned Golden Ticket qualification to the Inter Dominion with victory in the Trotters Spring Sprint.

Speed Dating claimed another Group 2 feature, this time securing the forever Gold Mares Open, running a career PB 1.51.9 with the victory.

Nathan Dawson had a successful Summer Carnival, with four wins at Group level over the two nights. Dawson had Group 2 success with Speed Dating and Majestic Harry and at Group 3 level aboard Uptown Beachgirl and also eclipsed the 200 win barrier.

Father time caught up with another well-known Queensland harness racing identity, with Max Towns passing away at the age of 85.

Taleah McMullen joined siblings Pete and Narissa as a centurion when passing the 100 win driving milestone.

Leonard Cain also chalks up a 100 win driving season, the second successive year he has reached the triple figures.

DECEMBER

Majestic Harry did Queensland proud, advancing to the Inter Dominion Trotting Final and finishing a credible fifth position in the Final. Trained through the series by Stephanie Graham, Harry was driven in each of the three heats and Final by Brittany Graham.

Brendan Barnes represented Queensland through the Inter Dominion Final week in the Australasian Young Drivers Series. In a tough week, Barnes was consistent throughout the week in finishing in fourth position.

Grant Dixon claims his 3000^th training victory to sit alongside his 5000^th driving win secured earlier in the season. Grant is also able to register his 100^th driving win for the season nationwide.

Zac Chappenden claimed his second BOTRA Young Drivers Championship in the past three years, following the six-heat series. In an even series, Chappenden held off Just Elkins and Luke Whittaker, with 48 points enough to claim success.

Angus Garrard became the youngest driver to reach 500 career wins, steering the Mark Dux trained Captain Nemo to victory.

Graham Dwyer became the fourth trainer to reach 100 training wins for the year, bringing up the milestone with one week of the season remaining.

Chloe Butler reached 100 driving wins for the season, becoming the fourth concession driver to reach triple figures.

Majestic Simon claimed the final race of the season, the win the 20^th career victory for the former Queensland Trotter of the Year, with the win taking his career earnings beyond $200,000.

Pete McMullen wrapped up his second successive Australian drivers title and third straight State title, steering home 266 winners for the season, finishing 29 wins clear of Western Australia’s Gary Hall Jnr. Nathan Dawson finished third nationally and second in Queensland with 235 wins, while Angus Garrard claimed third with 160 victories.

Jack Butler ended the domination of the Dixon stable, securing his first State Trainers Premiership with 163 winners for the season. Chantal Turpin finished second, six wins behind Butler with 157, while Dixon held on for third, a further four wins back on 153 Queensland wins.

In total, 11 drivers secured 100-win Queensland seasons and four trainers reached triple figures.