Queensland Harness Racing Wrap - July 3

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

THE GOOD

The Shannon Price-trained Speak The Truth claimed Saturday night’s Queensland Sun, the victory securing another battle with Leap To Fame in the Rising Sun.

Both four-year-olds have only met twice under race conditions, with Speak The Truth finishing third behind Leap To Fame on both occasions.

Their first meeting was on June 3 when 12.5 metres separated the pair in a Band 5 event and Leap To Fame established a four-year-old class record 1.53.3 with the victory over the Albion Park 2138 metre trip.

It was a track record demolition by Leap To Fame in the Patron's Purse at Redcliffe on June 16, at the only other meeting the pair have had on June 16.

The head-to-head score might read two zip in favour of Dixon’s trained superstar.

However, Speak The Truth was able to knock Leap To Fame’s name off the Albion Park track record listings with his victory in the Queensland Sun.

Stopping the clock in a 1.52.9 rate, the time took 0.4 off the 2138 metre four-year-old class record that Leap To Fame established back in June.

It was a win full of determination from Speak The Truth, forced to do all the work in the run yet able to secure the ballot exemption for the Rising Sub with the gritty victory.

Aroda was first off the arm for Trista and Grant Dixon and the three-year-old was driven hard through the early stages to maintain the lead, with a sharp 35.5 lead time followed with a 28 second opening quarter.

Fellow three-year-old For Real Life made a play for the front, but repelled for the leaders role, Trent Dawson was left parked, as Speak The Truth was still three-wide trying to find a position through the opening 700 metres.

Adam Sanderson was able to find the space to drop in to the one-by-one trail but did not sit for long, as he moved three-wide again to get outside the leader with 1100 metres to travel.

Approaching the 600 metre mark, Future Assured moved three-wide to make a run and was in-turn tracked up by Bangkok Deejay as the third quarter was posted in 29.5 seconds. 

Between turns, Aroda’s night was done as Speak The Truth worked by and Future Assured then found a neck on Speak The Truth as they turned for home.

However, responding to Sanderson’s urgings, Speak The Truth was in for the fight and refused to give in, fighting his way back into the lead and holding on for a win that was full of fight, the closing split recorded in 27.9 seconds.

Future Assured had briefly hit the front was  a half-neck away in second while Tims A Trooper after losing momentum behind tiring runners, charged down the outside to grab third placing.

It now sets up for huge rematch between Speak The Truth and Leap To Fame in this week’s Rising Sun, with Speak The Truth then chasing the inaugural The Hayden one week later, where victory will see him become the Racing Queensland slot Holder for The Eureka.

STARGAZING

As the Constellation stars start to shine, locally and interstate, there was plenty of action across the weekend that will be referenced throughout the carnival as the feature events take shape.

Most impressive at 'The Creek' on Saturday was Cantfindabettorman, who was brilliant working home wide off speed, his own individual last 800 metres recorded in 53.4 seconds, with a 26.31 seconds sizzling closing panel.

Fairy Tinkabell continued her Golden Girl campaign trail with an all the way win in the Queen of Hearts, with eye-catching runs from both placed runners, Uptown Beachgirl and Manhattan.

Blacksadance surpassed $300,000 in career earnings, claiming victory in the Wondais Mate with a win over Turn It Up, the six-year-old’s 1.51.6 success his 25^th career victory and first via the passing lane.

At Menangle, Jack Callaghan returned from suspension to partner with Spirit Of St Louis to round out his preparations for Queensland with his fifth win of the season.

Rising Sun bound My Ultimate Ronnie set the speed from gate eight, but was unable to grip on for the victory, finishing 4.6 metres from the winner in holding third place.

London To A Brick claimed his third successive win and the sixth of his career in the $50,000 Group 2 NSW Trot Final as he took his final preparations before this Saturdays inaugural The Great Square.

Further south at Melton, the Chris Svanosio-trained Aroha Koe held on for a narrow victory, however, the Love You gelding was a notable omission for the Great Square when nominations closed on Monday morning.

Svanosio will still have representation in the race with the four-year-old Arcee Phoenix who remains undefeated in four starts this season.

Four-year-old Hes Charlies Angel claimed an all the way victory for trainer Charlene Gusman and driver David Miles, the win enough to see the gelding in the nominations for the Rising Sun.

Mach Dan will target the Sunshine Sprint and Blacks A Fake after an impressive return from a spell, his first appearance since the Miracle Mile, leading throughout to defeat stable mates Amore Vita and Like A Wildfire, the performance highlighted by a sizzling 25.7 second closing 400 metre split.

Tempting Tigress likely booked her spot on the trip for trainer Emma Stewart with the Queensland Oaks on the radar after an impressive Melton victory and will likely be joined by Joyful who resumed for her first three-year-old appearance with an effortless Maryborough win last Friday.

THE WILDCARD

With the last two heats of the Darrel Alexander Trotting Championship held on Saturday night, the field of 14 is now finalised with the qualifiers set to chase victory this Saturday night in the Group 2 feature.

After an unlucky run in the first round where he was put out of play by another runner breaking gait, the Grant Dixon-trained and driven Zealous Spur forced his way into the Final with victory in heat three.

Settled in the one-by-one trail as Jaccka Watch set the tempo in front, Dixon made his move at the 400 metre mark and between turns had worked to the front.

Breaking clear over the closing stages, Zealous Spur held on to defeat the fast-finishing Hammers Law for Anthony Butt, with last year's winner Global Flight grabbing third place and just scraping through to the Final for trainer, driver, and owner Narissa McMullen.

The second heat saw Aldebaran Misty repeat her first-round victory by claiming the final qualifying heat after a great start from the tapes.

Finding the front in the early stages, Chloe Butler took the trail when Nortie Nortie moved up to challenge with 1800 metres to travel.

Overandout then unsuccessfully challenged Nortie Nortie for the front and in turn let Sir Fahrenheit slide around to apply more pressure to the leader.

Turning for home, Butler angled Aldebaran Misty to the passing lane and the mare charged hard along the inside to arrive in the last stride to defeat a game Sir Fahrenheit, with Overandout holding on for third.

First held back in 2008 at Gold Coast, Aldebaran Misty will have to emulate the deeds of one of the great trotting mares in recent years to claim this Saturday’s Final.

Pink Galahs remains the only winner of the DJA to sweep both heat rounds and then win the Final when she scored a memorable victory in the 2021 edition of the race.

Indefensible has earned his way through to the Final, as one of three runners from the 2022 Final that will compete in the 2023 edition, joining Global Flight and Majestic Harry that went one-two last year.

THE MILESTONE

With the inaugural running of The Great Square this Saturday night, a pair of candidates for the race rounded out their preparations with victories last Tuesday at The Creek.

Gus and Im A Gypsy Queen were not only successful in their respective events, but both trotters were able to establish new class records with their victories.

The Grant Dixon-trained and Robbie Morris driven Im A Gypsy Queen claimed her third Albion Park victory, starting off the front line handicap over the 2138 metre journey.

Safely into stride, Morris elected to take cover on the back of Set Me Free when that runner worked forward.

Racing in the trail thereafter, as the field approached the home turn, Set Me Free was under pressure and Morris had a lap full of horse but nowhere to go.

Opting to swing wide when the gap presented, he angled the three-year-old filly wider and once she found open space was able to chase hard to arrive for a narrow victory.

Stopping the clock with a mile rate of 2.02.0, the win scraped 1.1 seconds off the previous class record held by Aurora.

Four-year-old gelding Gus completed his Great Square preparations with a gritty victory over the same 2138 metre standing start conditions.

Slowly away from the tapes, driver Pete McMullen sat quietly for the first lap as the field was in single file order before making his move with 1200 metres to travel to slide forward to lead the one-wide line as Im The Commando set the tempo.

Heading down the back straight the final time, McMullen was allowing Gus to continue building momentum and it was not until turning off the back he moved equal with the leader.

Edging ahead as they swung for home, McMullen was in full control and let Gus run to the line under his own steam to claim a five-metre margin.

The time of 2.00.1, shaved 0.1 off the four-year-old class record previously held by Van Sank.

A third Great Square hopeful, Hot To Trot, rounded out his preparations with a win on Friday night at his first Queensland appearance.

THIS WEEK

There are six race meetings this week in Queensland, but all eyes will be squarely on Albion Park this Saturday night in a massive night of harness racing action.

The Rising Sun shines bright this week with the third running of the event where there will be 11 drivers hoping that they can somehow find a chink in the armour of Leap To Fame.

The inaugural running of The Great Square will complement the Rising Sun, with the $150,000 contest for the three and four-year-old square gaiters bringing together a high-quality line up.

The South East Derby and South East Oaks, The Group 2 Darrel Alexander Trotting Championship Final, the Mr Feelgood Open and the Group 3 Fleur De Lil Ladyship Stakes fill out a monster night of action.

On Sunday, Marburg joins the Constellations once again for the second running of the Western Star, with NAIDOC Week celebrations also forming part of the meeting.