Queensland Harness Racing Wrap - January 9

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

THE GOOD

If there was any doubt which state boasts the best futurity scheme, the first week of the new season has ended that argument quickly - QBRED already has the number in the frame and been declared the winner.

With the first win bonus standing at $14,000 and the second win bonus at $7,500, the start of the 2023 season has seen the introduction of the $3,000 third win bonus.

Commencing on January 1, this bonus is for any eligible state-bred four-year-old or five-year-old that has won the QBRED Second Win bonus in a previous season, in a race where prize money exceeds $4,500.

Jaziah was the first horse to secure the $3,000 third win bonus when the Rhonda Aldons-trained mare was successful at Redcliffe on Thursday.

It was a great week for Jaziah and Aldons, with the mare picking up successive bonus payments after her back-to-back wins in seven days straddled the old and new season.

Claiming the $7,500 second win bonus on December 29, the five-year-old mare claimed the QBRED third bonus with her seventh career victory.

On Thursday, Jaziah was one of four horses to claim a QBRED bonus, joining four-year-old mare Bejiggity and seven-year-old mare Beyonski who both picked up the second win bonus for connections.

Three-year-old gelding Watching Ricky secured his owner/breeder Kylie Rasmussen the $14,000 first win bonus when successful in the opening race of the day, claiming a maiden-breaking win at his second career start.

Not only did he claim the QBRED bonus, the gelding was also able to secure the newly introduced three-year-old bonus, payable to any three-year-old winner of a non-age restricted race.

English Dance was the winner of the first three-year-old bonus when successful at the first meeting of the new season for trainer Grant Dixon and owner GSM Racing.

In winning the third race of his career, the son of A Rocknroll Dance secured the QBRED second-win bonus and the three-year-old bonus, meaning his Tuesday victory at Albion Park was valued at just over $13,000.

In total there were nine QBRED Bonus payments for the week, with the $14,000 first win bonus paid to Ash And Jo and Watching Ricky, the $7,500 second win bonus to English Dance, Beyonski, Bejiggity, Back To Betoota and The Tax Cullector, and the $3,000 third win to Jaziah and Alwaysbme.

Along with the increase in prize money for the 2023 Triads for pacers and trotters, the nation’s premier futurity scheme continues to amplify the fact, it pays to be QBRED!

THE BAD

Off the back of his most successful training season, Mark Rees was looking to start the 2023 season in style.

With two horses engaged at the first meeting of the new season at Albion Park on Tuesday, Rees was forced to scratch both horses when he was unable to even get off his property owing to an issue with the tail gate of his transport.

Preparing 33 winners in the 2022 season, it may not have started in the best way possible in season 2023. However by weeks end, Rees was on the board with two winners to his name.

On Thursday at Redcliffe, three-year-old filly Madrigal remained undefeated since joining his stable, leading throughout to claim an effortless victory and make it two from two in Queensland with the filly also securing the $1,000 three-year-old bonus.

On Friday at The Creek, Gwyneth P, another newcomer to the Rees team that was a winner at her first local appearance, was sent to the post as the short-priced $1.50 favourite but could not replicate the first-up victory when finishing in second place behind Back To Betoota.

Saturday night at Albion Park and Rees claimed his second win of the term when Narissa McMullen was able to guide Woodlea Diego to victory.

With the $1.40 favourite Animado unable to match the gate speed of Woodlea Diego, McMullen won the race in the first 200 metres, finding the front before allowing Animado and Nathan Dawson to takeover with 1200 metres to travel.

Angled into the passing lane in the home stretch, Woodlea Diego had too much closing punch and was able to arrive in the last strides to take the win by a head margin.

Narissa was the hero with the win of Woodlea Diego, but was the villain one race later, denying Rees a double when her own mare Misdemeanor led throughout.

The Rees-trained Molliesmaryelle finished in second place, some 10 metres adrift of the winner.

THE MILESTONE

Mark Dux started the 2022 racing season with the first winner of the season when Key Largo was successful.

While he was not instantly off the mark in the 2023 season after four unplaced runners to start the term, things heated up quickly at Albion Park on Saturday night.

Dux had four runners for the night and with all four firm in betting markets, looked set to feature prominently at the first metropolitan meeting for the year.

Open class performer Tommy Lincoln was the first on the track for Dux on Saturday, finishing just out of the money after a tough trip when sitting parked outside the leader and winner Rock Bottom.

Captain Nemo was the next Dux-trained runner, competing in race two and franking the strength of his second placed performance the week prior when scoring a strong victory in Band 5 company.

Pressing forward to take control early, the five-year-old entire was able to control proceedings from the front and under the urgings of driver Angus Garrard was able to hold off the race-favourite Sumomentsomewhere to claim his twelfth career victory.

Two races later and the Stephen Dux-owned and bred mare Alwaysbme secured the QBRED NR60-75 pace for driver Mat Neilson.

Sent forward off the arm from gate 3 to find the lead, the mare was attacked in a stinging opening quarter that was posted in 25.81 seconds.

Repelling the challenge of Delightful Reason, Neilson was content to release Bangkok Deejay soon after and was able to gain cover at the 1000 metre mark.

With Bangkok Deejay trying to stave off the challenge, Neilson right lined Alwaysbme and despite the early burn, she responded and was able to edge past the leader to claim a stylish victory.

It was the fifth career win for Alwaysbme who also added the $3,000 third QBRED bonus with the victory, the 1.53.5 victory a new benchmark for the four-year-old mare.

The final runner for Dux was the square gaiter Matatoki, contesting the last race of the night, the PSP No Band Qualifying Trot.

A 2138-metre mobile start event, the ten-year-old Matatoki was safely into stride as the start car pulled clear, driver Angus Garrard easily holding the front, a position he would maintain throughout.

With limited mid-race pressure, Garrard dictated the race perfectly, pulling away in the closing stages to claim victory by nine metres over Bourbonontherocks.

The win gave Garrard a driving double for the night and completed the treble for Dux, his first metropolitan treble in over 15 years.

THE WILDCARD

Season 2022 finished in fine style for Angus Garrard, picking up his 500^th career winner late in the season.

The 160 wins for the term that Garrard was able to achieve was also enough to secure a podium finish in the State Drivers title for the first time, holding third placing behind winner Pete McMullen and second placed Nathan Dawson.

Continuing on from the success of last season, it was Garrard that struck first in Season 2023, claiming the first win in Queensland when guiding the Kay Crone-trained Set Me Free to victory.

It was a case of déjà vu for Garrard, having claimed the first race of the previous season aboard the Mark Dux trained Key Largo.

The win was the third career victory for Set Me Free, her second at Albion Park after scoring at The Creek back in September of 2022 when partnered by Lachie Manzelmann.

Now a six-year-old, the daughter of Peak started her career in New Zealand where she was successful on one occasion at Alexandra Park in Auckland before being purchased by Alex Alchin and joining his New South Wales stable.

With just one placing in six starts for Alchin, at the end of 2021 the mare was sent North to the stables of Shawn Grimsey where she would go unplaced in seven starts.

Transferred to Kay Crone, the Crone Family Racing team took an option to lease the mare, and she would again go unplaced in her first six starts before putting it together to claim her first Australian victory.

Placed a further four times following that win, Set Me Free has started the season in prefect order, stepping cleanly to the front before Garrard opted to take cover.

Angled into the passing lane in the home stretch, she had enough closing speed to claim a neck margin and match her win tally from last season recorded after 24 starts, to go one for one in 2023.

THIS WEEK

The second full week of the season will see six race meetings for the week.

Albion Park will host three meetings, starting with the Tuesday afternoon fixture, followed by a Friday afternoon fixture, and rounded out with the Saturday metropolitan card.

Tuesday will see the first two-year-old race of the season, the earliest date in the year in over a decade that the first race for the ‘babies’ stood up.

Redcliffe play host to their regular slots of Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.

Marburg will host their first meeting of the new season to complete the week, the programme including a heat of the latest up to NR70 Series, with the Final to be held at Albion Park on January 28.