Queensland Harness Racing Wrap - July 17

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

THE GOOD

Outlaying $11,000 to purchase barrier 10 in Queensland’s first harness slot race, The Hayden, has proven to be astute spending for the team behind 'Raboki'.

Claiming Saturday night’s inaugural The Hayden provided connections with ten-times the return on investment, first prize money for the $231,000 event returning in excess of $110,000 for the winner, Speak The Truth.

However, the biggest of pay days may be under 50 days away with Speak The Truth securing the Racing Queensland slot in The Eureka to be held at Menangle on September 2.

Many expected Saturday night's contest to be a race in two between Speak The Truth and Captain Shuffles and that is exactly how the race panned out, with a two-horse duel down the home stretch.

When the field was released, it was Captain Shuffles from gate five that was able to scoot across to find the front, while Future Assured eased soon after the start from inside the second line before charging around to have a look for the lead.

Nathan Dawson signalled his intentions with Captain Shuffles to hold the front, leaving Future Assured facing the breeze.

However, it was not long until Adam Sanderson sent Speak The Truth around to settle at the wheel of Captain Shuffles with the two favoured runners settled down to go eye-to-eye over the closing 1200 metres.

As the field swung for home, none of those chasing looked a threat and it looked as if Captain Shuffles might have held the advantage, but Speak The Truth showed plenty of determination, knuckling down for the fight and clawing his way to the front to claim victory.

With the benefit of a cosy trip in behind the leader, three-year-old Apollo Dreamz, the last slot holder to be confirmed, was able to hold on for third ahead of the fast-finishing Dangerzone.

Speak The Truth extended his record to 11 wins from 19 starts, with a further six minor placings to his credit and sets up another rematch with Leap To Fame in The Eureka.

The win also took his career earnings beyond $250,000, taking him to fourth on the list of the richest earners of the 'Raboki operation' behind Caesars Folly, Bettorthanspecial and Terror Time.

In terms of stakes, the win was the biggest for the 'Raboki training team' of Shannon Price and Scott Miller, which capped off a memorable week for the Price family.

Katy Price, Shannon’s mother, was presented with life membership to 'The Creek' (Albion Park) earlier in the week following her long-term support of the club.

Katy joins her late husband, Tony, as life members of the club with Tony awarded his honour back in 2010, before being inducted into the Queensland Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2014.

STARGAZING

The versatility of Leap To Fame was on full display as he provided Grant Dixon with his first driving victory and second training victory in the Sunshine Sprint.

Taken back early to settle in the running line as Betterzipit set the tempo in front, Dixon made his move with 800 metres to travel, pulling out three wide onto the back of I Cast No Shadow.

The reigning Inter Dominion champion however did not improve his position when pulled out and that forced Dixon to angle back inside and then rely on the gap to open.

Finding the space turning off the back, Leap To Fame charged home to claim victory in a rate of 1.50.2, the second fastest mile ever run under race conditions at 'The Creek'.

He now heads to the Blacks A Fake where he looks incredibly hard to beat.

Spirit Of St Louis was also an impressive run out of the Sunshine Sprint in finishing second and will this week contest his third consecutive Blacks A Fake.

The Queensland Derby looks at the mercy of The Lost Storm after he dominated a strong field of three-year-olds to score by an increasing margin in the Racing Queensland Naidoc Celebration Pace.

Circling the field in the early stages of the 2138 metre event, Mark Pitt ran a steady opening half in 60.8 seconds before only marginally increasing the tempo with a 28.6 second third split.

That set it up for a last panel smoke show and The Lost Storm showed sizzling acceleration to lay out a 25.9 second last split, taking his career record to nine wins from 11 starts.

Amore Vita secured victory in the Group 1 The Golden Girl for trainer Emma Stewart, the four-year-old mare arriving late to deny Manhattan the victory.

Looking under pressure a long way from home, the mare dug deep into the tank to claim a half-head margin, providing Chris Alford with a Group 1 victory in his only drive of the night and also shave 0.5 seconds off the 1660 metres mare’s class record previously held by Uptown Beachgirl.

Amore Vita took her career earnings beyond $500,000 with the victory and will now head to the Blacks A Fake as the only mare in the line-up.

Living in the shadow of his stable mate Leap To Fame, fellow four-year-old Tims A Trooper scored the 11^th win of his career and establish a new career personal best when claiming a 1.50.5 mile after edging out Big Wheels on the line.

Tims A Trooper will now head to the 4YO Championship where a showdown with Cantfindabettorman looms.

THE WILDCARD

It may not have been the biggest race on the card, but in terms of sentiment there was no bigger victory than the win by Whata Roller on Saturday night.

Lining up in the J C McMullen from barrier one, the six-year-old gelding was able to dart through along the passing lane to grab a winning margin of a neck.

Trained by John McMullen and driven by Taleah McMullen, the father and daughter duo combined to secure victory in the race named to honour the deeds of the man known as 'Hollywood'.

Content to take the trail as race favourite The Beauden Blues speared across to lead, Chap Daddy was sent forward from a wide gate to settle outside the leader.

Turning for home, Hes Charlies Angel had moved up strongly from the rear as The Beauden Blues was trying to find a kick, with Aardies Flash bolting three back along the markers but with no racetrack to work with.

As they straightened, the passing lane presented for Whata Roller and the gelding responded, darting through to secure the win over the fast-finishing Aardies Flash that did not see the split until late into the stretch, with Hes Charlies Angel hanging on for third.

First held back in 2019, it is the first time that John McMullen has been able to win the race named to honour his father, a Queensland Harness Racing Hall of Fame inductee.

Wearing the famous silks of her grandfather of red, white sash, Taleah was able to claim her first victory in the race and join big brother and two-time winner of the race, Pete, on the honour roll.

Raced by the McCloys, long time clients of John McMullen, Whata Roller claimed his 12^th career victory with the win, 10 of those for the McMullen stable.

A consistent performer since arriving in Queensland, the six-year-old boasts a career personal best of 1.51.4 and is on the cusp of taking his career earnings beyond $100,000.

THE MILESTONE

Chantal Turpin secured her tenth successive season of training 100 winners for the term when Wewillseehowwego was successful last Tuesday.

Driven to victory by husband Pete McMullen, the milestone was delivered in style with the three-year-old gelding crushing his opposition to win by 30 metres, stopping the clock in a 2.00.1-mile rate for the 2138 metre standing start journey.

The win sliced 0.8 seconds off the three-year class record which was held by You No Ill Be Late when securing the 2022 Springboard Final when also prepared by Turpin.

Wewillseehowwego is a talented son of Sebastian K that is still yet to develop into the full racing package, having made an error at his previous start that saw him banished to the trials.

There were no signs of any issue with his manners on Tuesday, however, with the gelding stepping straight to the front and never looking in danger, holding a huge margin over his rivals right throughout the race.

Owned by loyal stable client John Polson, the Turpin, McMullen and Polson combination has been rewarded with plenty of success in recent years.

That was evident on Saturday night when Polson had four runners engaged on the night, with all four the progeny of his three-time Queensland broodmare of the year, Washington Lass.

Track record holder at 'The Creek', Blacksadance finished fifth in the Sunshine Sprint, while his little brother, Big Wheels was runner-up when beaten a neck by Tims A Trooper earlier in the night.

Awaywego finished in seventh place in The Hayden, with the youngest of the four, Attachment finishing in eighth position in the APG Brisbane Sales Graduate Final.

Not all was lost on the night for the Turpin stable however, securing a winning double for another pair of loyal clients.

Mr Mclaren was the beneficiary of a “Leader Peter” special in the opening race of the night, blasting off the arm from gate six and leading throughout to claim a five-metre victory for owner Ross Patrick.

Sugarinspice was the second leg of the winning double, the eight-year-old mare leading throughout in the Group 3 Trotters Sprint, claiming the 16^th victory of her career and 13^th since joining the Turpin stable for owner Craig Whiteoak.

The winning time of 1.55.6 also shaved 0.1 seconds off the mares’ class record for the mobile 1660 metre journey at 'The Creek'.

THIS WEEK

The Constellations reaches the crescendo this Saturday night with the running of the Grand Circuit event, The Blacks A Fake.

On a stellar card of harness action, the support features include another three Group 1 features with the running of the Queensland Derby, the Queensland Oaks and the Queensland Trotters Cup.

The Queensland Trotting Derby will also be staged, where Rockinwithattitude will look to complete the Oaks and Derby double.

Rounding out the Group racing action is the Group 3 4YO Championship.

The week starts with a Monday night fixture from Redcliffe, with The Triangle bearing most of the racing load this week, hosting Wednesday night, Thursday afternoon and Friday night.