Queensland Harness Racing Wrap - April 11

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

THE GOOD

An elusive first win since moving home to Queensland is now behind Nathan Rothwell, breaking the shackles with an all-the-way win at Marburg on Sunday with Tommy Bligh.

Moving interstate to further his knowledge, Rothwell along with his brother Will completed a Certificate IV in Racing (Harness Race Driver) at Community College Gippsland, Victoria.

Relocating back to Queensland in late 2022, the Rothwell family have secured a property at Mount Hallen west of Ipswich and are in the process of turning the acreage into a fully-fledged harness racing training property.

As the property continues to take shape, Rothwell takes his small team to the Marburg Showground track for fast work.

“We’ve just been going to Marburg to work there which has been pretty good, it will be great when get our fast work track in, but Marburg has been great,” Rothwell said.

The familiar surroundings of the tight 700 metre track worked wonders for Tommy Bligh on Sunday, as he was able to burrow through from Gate 1 at the start to repel a strong challenge from Bee Gees Best.

With an electric lead time of 15.8 seconds, Rothwell was able to back off the speed through the first 800 metres of the last mile.

As they entered the back straight on the final occasion, Tommy Bligh and Bee Gees Best pulled clear of the remainder of the field, with Tommy Bligh able to make the most of his front running opportunity to hold on for a 1.8 metre victory.

“He’s been working great around Marburg, he always tends to work a bit better than how he races which is a bit frustrating," Rothwell said.

“We thought that going into that run that he’d been working really good around there so we thought hopefully he could take that into the race which he did was great and it’s great to just see him show a little bit more of his ability and take it to race day."

The win was the first for Tommy Bligh in Queensland and provided his twenty-year-old trainer/driver with his first success back in the Sunshine State.

Now that the first win is on the board, it could be a quick back-up for the second with Playa Blanca drawn to be prominent at Redcliffe on Wednesday night.

“It’s a fairly decent drop in grade compared with some of the races she’s been going around in, so she should appreciate that and hopefully she shows some of her gate speed and if we could find the front, she is going to prove hard to beat I think”.

THE BAD

A winner in 17 of his first 23 starts, Governor Jujon succumbed to a setback late in his 3YO season of 2020 that saw the star juvenile on the sidelines for eight-months.

Returning to claim another five wins at his next 12 starts between August 2021 and January 2022, another setback forced the former Queensland three-year-old of the year into another 12 months off the scene.

Resuming in February this year, the now six-year-old has slowly been building the miles in the legs, finishing unplaced in five runs back into his latest campaign.

Drawn in barrier two on Saturday night, driver Adam Sanderson was able to drop straight in behind the early leader Mach Da Vinci to secure an economical trip in the small field.

With the field quickly forming a single file, the leader and race favourite was able to stroll the lead time in a pedestrian 40 seconds before a dawdling first quarter of 31.8.

With the second and third splits in 29.7 and 28.2 respectively, the race developed into a stretch drive blitz and Shane Graham tried to pull clear with Mach Da Vinci.

Adam Sanderson right-lined Governor Jujon and set out to reel in the leader.

Showing a blistering turn of speed once he found open space, the Governor was able to turn over the favourite who had to settle for 3^rd, with Northview Hustler darting along the passing lane to grab 2^nd for driver Hayden Barnes.

Running the last quarter in a slick 26.7 seconds, Governor Jujon extended his record to 23 wins from 42 starts for stake earnings of $418,000.

THE WILDCARD

Another top weekend of country harness racing action has been run at Marburg, with the club hosting the Goldstrike Series for the sixth year.

Continuing to grow each and every year since its inception back in 2018, Sunday’s Final boasted prizemoney of $35,970, with the Grant Dixon-trained In Chevron We Trust making full use of his front line handicap.

Slowly away when the tapes released, driver Adam Sanderson was able to get the gelding down into a pace and dive through to protect the inside running as Aunty Frances and Angus Garrard made a play for the lead.

Steadying the tempo thereafter, the Nathan Dawson-driven Zach Lowe was sent forward with just over two laps to travel and in-turn Mi Furioso Toro was also set alight, providing Zach Lowe with the one-by-one trail as Brendan Barnes was content to sit outside the leader.

With a steady first half of 64.5, the pace started to quicken and heading off the back stretch, Mi Furioso Toro had put the head in front.

However, In Chevron We Trust was able to fight back, holding off a fast finishing Zach Lowe with a head margin to spare, with Letterkenny Boy grabbing 3^rd for trainer/driver Brad Millard.

Owned by GSM Racing headed by Greg Mitchell, the win provided Mitchell with a unique achievement, having now won the three biggest standing start features on the current or past Queensland calendar.

Greg Mitchell has annexed all three feature standing start events all with progeny of Art Major, the 2023 Goldstrike joins Mitchell’s victories in the 2015 Redcliffe Cup with Alleluia and the 2014 Premiers Cup with Major Moment.

THE MILESTONE

Shane Graham became just the third Queensland driver to reach 3,000 driving wins when successful aboard Torque Like Motion at Albion Park last Tuesday.

Sending the three-year-old filly straight to the front, Graham dictated to his rivals and was never headed, with the moment made even more special with the filly trained by Graham’s father, Wayne.

Torque Like Motion is out of the former Ladyship Mile winner Torque In Motion, which Shane also had a great association with, partnering the mare in 17 of her 19 victories.

Those wins included the 2012 Ladyship Mile at Menangle and wins in both the 4YO Mares QBRED Breeders Classic and Triad Finals.

Starting her career in 2010 during her three-year-old season, the filly did not miss a place in her first 23 starts, including a streak where she finished 2^nd in the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australian and Redcliffe Oaks in four successive starts.

Graham also had a great affinity with the three-time Queensland Horse of the Year Avonnova, partnering the free-legged gelding on 51 occasions, finishing in the top three 37 times.

Included in the wins were a Sunshine Sprint, Newcastle Mile and two Gold Coast Cups, while he placed in two Queensland Pacing Championships, the Blacks A Fake twice and earned a spot in 2015 Inter Dominion Final with placings in two heat rounds.

THIS WEEK

Six meetings will be held in Queensland this week, with a mix of events to take place.

Albion Park will play host to three meetings, with ten races on Tuesday preceding a Friday afternoon meeting and Saturday night’s metropolitan fixture.

Saturday night will see the Australian Pacing Gold Bullion Finals for two-year-olds, with Finals for each sex.

A mixed-sex three-year-old Final along with a mixed-sex four-year-old event will also be held.

2022 Australian Three Year Old of the Year Leap To Fame will likely be having his first appearance of 2023 in the four-year-old feature.

Redcliffe will host Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon fixtures, with ten races on each card.

Show racing will come through from Nanango on Saturday, before the week wraps up with a meeting on the grass at Kilcoy on Sunday.