Queensland Harness Racing Wrap - July 31

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

THE GOOD

It was a good start to the week for trainer Mark Rees, with two horses claiming their first victories since joining his Peak Crossing stable.

On Monday night at Redcliffe, Rees sent out Kalypso Sam as the race favourite from barrier three and driver Narissa McMullen was able to get the six-year-old home to victory at his first Queensland appearance.

Leading the one-wide line, McMullen was content to sit back from the leader before edging closer as the field went by the 400 metre mark. 

Looming up to the leader, the gelding was able to cruise past and pull clear to claim a six-metre margin, running a smart 1.57.5 rate at his first Redcliffe appearance.

The gelding was recently purchased by Rees' daughter Amy, who sent the gelding north from Bathurst to her father’s stable, the move paying immediate returns.

“Amy sent him up and I think he just needed a change of scenery, he was like an axolotl in the box, so getting him a yard and paddock with more space seems to suit him,” Rees said.

Kalypso Sam was one of two newcomers to Rees' stable having their first start for their new trainer on Monday, with Our Fire And Delight finishing as the runner-up, one race earlier.

The one-win four-year-old was purchased out of New Zealand by Mark and wife Robyn and their children Amy and Jack have joined forces to race the Bettors Delight mare.

On Tuesday My Ultimate Eddie, who recently contested the inaugural The Great Square for Rees, was able to claim his first Queensland success at his 12^th attempt since transferring to the Rees stable.

Building towards victory with successive placings, the four-year old proved too strong for his rivals, overcoming a 30-metre handicap to record his fourth career victory.

“He is just the second trotting winner I have ever trained, my first was also this season with Call Me Trouble and a few of the same owners are involved in both horses, so it has been good to get those wins,” Rees said.

Pacing bred, My Ultimate Eddie is by the champion sire Art Major out of the 11-time winning mare Lauramegan.

Bred by Tumby Park, the win of My Ultimate Eddie proved lucrative for his connections, securing the trotters first win bonus along with the $14,000 QBRED first win bonus, making Tuesday’s victory valued at $19,481.

“That trotters bonus is a great incentive when looking to buy a new trotter, it has been a great boost and we also picked it up with Call Me Trouble,” Rees said.

“When Russ (managing owner Russell Reimer) was chasing another trotter, this one was there and also being a QBRED meant he was worth chasing.

“It has not been without plenty of headaches with both of these trotters but we are winning the battle and with Eddie also being a Vicbred, we might even look at a trip away with him”.

With seven months of the season decided, Rees has prepared 19 winners in 2023 and looks well placed to eclipse his previous best season of 2022 when putting the polish on 33 winners.

THE BAD

Cold, frosty mornings will be replaced by early morning sunshine for New South Welshman Scott Hewitt who ended his Queensland working holiday on Saturday night.

Returning to the Southern Tablelands, Hewitt has enjoyed good success on his winter pilgrimage and departs with a winner at his last starter for the campaign.

Zenxena claimed a recent race when leading throughout, Hewitt entrusting gun reinsman Luke McCarthy with the four-year-old mare.

Sent to the front from barrier three, McCarthy kept a genuine tempo throughout the race, with a 27.4 second opening quarter followed with a 29.6 second stanza.

Running them off the back in a 28.1 second split, the only danger to Zenxena was on her back, the Peter Grieg trained O B Legal making one last lunge at Zenxena but unable to reel in Hewitt’s mare who claimed a half-neck victory.

The winning rate of 1.53.1 established a new personal best for the four-year-old and the win took her earnings beyond $100,000, the first horse Hewitt has trained to eclipse the six-figure barrier under his care.

It was the second win for the mare during Hewitt’s Queensland campaign, having claimed a mare’s qualifier back on June 10, also driven by Luke McCarthy to that victory.

Alta Classic claimed four wins from five starts in June for Hewitt, including a hat-trick of wins at Redcliffe with Arena Queen, Sailor Girl, Arama Reactor and Arma Renegade all tasting victory in the past two months.

While Bosch, Lulu Lucifer and Im Bruce Almighty all raced consistently with several placings but were unable to add any winning prize money to the trip.

THE WILDCARD

Beach Villa recorded his eighth career victory on Saturday night and his second at Albion Park, the win also set a new best winning rate for the gelding.

The Donny Smith-trained four-year-old gelding is owned and was also bred by Anne and Bill Anderson of Lauriston Bloodstock, the pair having developed an association with Smith over the past few seasons.

Sent straight to the front as the mobile pulled clear to run the opening quarter in 27.5 seconds, driver Nathan Dawson was able to ease the tempo through a 30.6 second split.

Putting the power on down the back straight, Beach Villa ran the third quarter in 27 seconds and Dawson cut the ribbons, pulling clear of the field as they swung for home.

Maintaining the margin established down the home stretch, the closing quarter in 27.5 seconds saw Beach Villa stop the clock in a mile rate of 1.52.6, the gelding setting a new personal best with the victory.

By the super sire Somebeachsomewhere, Beach Villa is out of the American-bred mare Aston Villa, an Artsplace mare that the Anderson’s purchased and imported to Australia in 2007.

A winner of four races in Victoria, it is in the breeding barn where Aston Villa has left her mark, producing six foals to have raced, all six winning, five of which have eclipsed $100,000 in stake earnings.

Her top two foals both each won 22 races, with Yankee Rockstar retiring with a Group 1 victory in the 2016 Cranbourne Cup, while Poster Boy retired a five-time Group 1-winner, arguably his best secured in the 2019 Chariots Of Fire. 

Beach Villa is a full brother to Poster Boy and has now won in each of the three seasons he has raced, his eight wins complemented with a further 12 minor placings.

THE MILESTONE

Taking out a training licence in the 2022 racing season, Bree Evans has managed to reach another milestone in her brief career.

Having only ever had two horses represent her stable under race conditions since being licensed, Evans was able to claim a double at Albion Park on Tuesday when Harry Kane and Archilles were both successful.

Both pacers are also owned by Evans and have been in consistent form in the past six weeks, each racing on five occasions since June 23.

Those 10 starts have been able to yield four wins and two minor placings, with the pair claiming consecutive races last Tuesday.

Archilles was well supported despite his second line barrier, with Pete McMullen taking the reins and settling the six-year-old near the rear of the field as Sarasun set the tempo.

Making a move at the 500 metre mark, McMullen urged Archilles forward and the gelding responded, moving up three-wide around the final bend to set out after the leader.

Knuckling down to the task, Archilles reeled in the leader to claim victory by 3.1 metres, the win also doubling as the 50^th career starter Evans has sent around.

One race later and this time it was Matt Elkins in the seat aboard Harry Kane, the four-year-old sent out as the $1.95 TAB fixed favourite from barrier one. 

Only steadily away as the barrier arms folded, Harry Kane was locked away three back on the inside and favourite supporters would have had a few tense moments as the field approached the home turn.

With no space opening into the passing lane, the tiring I Am Sparta allowed Elkins to right line Harry Kane into a gap, slicing through the opening.

Attacking the line, Harry Kane was able to hit the front and claim victory by a half-head margin, securing the wining double for Evans with the victory.

Both horses will back up at Albion Park again this Tuesday, again in consecutive races and with Harry Kane again landing barrier one. 

THIS WEEK

After seven successive days action in the Sunshine State, the first week of August will see five meetings held for the week.

Albion Park will host a 10 race card on Tuesday that will be followed by a Friday night fixture before Saturday’s metropolitan meeting.

Leap To Fame is likely to be in action this Saturday as he presses on towards the Eureka on September 2, the star four-year-old ready to return after a steady fortnight following his gallant second in the Blacks A Fake.

Redcliffe will host their regular Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon fixtures, with 10 races down for decision on Wednesday night.

Shannon Price will campaign at Menangle on Tuesday with three-year-old Sure Thing Captain and two-year-old Force Full contesting heats of the Nutrien Sales Series.