Queensland Harness Racing Wrap - May 20

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

THE GOOD

Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen dominated at Albion Park on Saturday night, claiming half the 10 race card, with Chantal training all five winners while also partnering one to victory and Pete at the controls of four winners.

The night started with a bang as Wisper A Secret secured his fourth successive victory when leading throughout in the opening race of the night and making a statement with his 1.50.7 mile.

The race was denied somewhat of a spectacle with the scratching of fellow four-year-old For Real Life in what could have been a great reference to which horse could boast the title as being the best four-year-old in Queensland.

However there is no doubt as to the ability of Turpin’s gelding which has bettered 1.51 at his past two starts.

With four QBRED Breeders Classics on the program, it was the three-year-old colts and geldings that gave the Turpin and McMullen combination the second of their winners for the night when Dele Row was able to lead throughout.

Fired off the gate to repel an early challenge from Ellis Street, it was 'Leader Peter' at his best as he rolled them at a genuine clip and then still had enough horsepower to blow his opponents way with a 26.8 second closing quarter.

Rylee Rhayne Bow was lining up in the three-year-old fillies Breeders Classic and was sent out at a very short quote, with the daughter of Art Major never in any danger of defeat.

With no runners in the two-year-old fillies Breeders Classic, it was the Grant Dixon-trained and reined Cool And Classy that was too good for her rivals, remaining undefeated with an effortless victory.

The fourth Breeders Classic of the night was the two-year-old colts and geldings and just like the earlier events, it was 'Leader Peter' doing his thing, as he sent Our Sweet Delight hard off the arm to find the front.

Holding the front through a 28.2 second opening split, a 31.5 and 29.2 second middle half was enough breather for the Sweet Lou colt to hold off the challengers in the stretch and record the second win of his career.

The win gave McMullen a winning quartet and extended his lead in both the state and national drivers premierships, as he moves within one win of becoming the first driver in the country to triple figures this season.

Giving Turpin her fifth training success of the night, it was Gus that powered home in the closing stages to score and provide Chantal with a driving win and give the Somerset Farms team five winners at the one meeting a second time.

STAR GAZING

Ladies In Red returned to Melton and bounced back to winning form in the Richmond Lass Mares to continue her push towards the Group 1 Golden Girl.

Two invites were issued and accepted for The Rising Sun, with Lux Aeterna and Captains Knock both accepting the chance to contest the $355,000 Group 1 event.

No three-year-old filly has previously contested The Rising Sun, however, the lure of a $100,000 bonus to win and $25,000 to place was an enticement too good to refuse for connections of the 2023 Australian two-year-old filly of the year Lux Aeterna to pass up.

Hide And Seek boosted his chances for a potential invite to The Great Square when the talented four-year-old set a new track record for the 2138 metre standing start.

It was a strong performance by the gelding to enhance his claims.

Another local four-year-old to enhance his Constellations claims is the Chantal Turpin-trained Wisper A Secret who extended his winning streak to four.

Sent to the front on Saturday night over the Albion Park mile, the gelding ran a hard mile, breaking 1.51 for the second successive week with his 1.50.7 mile highlighted by a sizzling 53.5 second last 800 metres from the front.

The Ryan Veivers-trained Girl From Rosedale scored a tough win in the mare’s open race, sitting parked for the majority of the race to graft out a 1.53.7 mile, putting her best hoof forward for the upcoming carnival.

At Menangle on Saturday night, a number of performances potentially had upcoming Constellations form lines established.

Extreme Sea, who has already a confirmed Eureka slot, destroyed his rivals in the Metropolitan Championship, and would be a huge player at 'The Creek' should he head north.

Taipo is likely to target the open class features including the Sunshine Sprint and Blacks A Fake and the Brad Hewitt-trained gelding claimed victory over the mile in 1.50.1.

Another fast winner on the night was the four-year-old, I Break The Line which was able to arrive in 1.49.4.

THE WILDCARD

Following six heats of the 2024 Trot Rods at Redcliffe, a new benchmark time was set in heat seven last Wednesday night.

The Dayl March-trained and driven Artful Maid was speared out of the machine from gate one to hold the lead into the first turn.

March drove the mare through a slick 26.7 second opening quarter and kept them rolling and turning for home looked to have the race in his keeping.

Able to finish it off in a 28.8 second split, the 64.59 seconds eclipsed the best time thus far for the 2024 series.

The 10-year-old Artful Maid, who was lining up under the one-lap format for the first time, has been a consistent performer over many seasons for March and her owner Greg Smith as the win brought up career victory 21.

It was a successful night for Smith and March, with the full brother of Artful Maid – Bonnies Cam - winning the fourth race of the night.

Bonnies Cam took his career record to 20 wins with his third victory of the season.

Bistro Maid is the dam of four foals to have raced, all are by Cammibest, all are winners, with Artful Master and Arnold Street the other pair.

For March, he also holds the unique achievement, having trained all four to a race victory this season at Redcliffe, with the quartet combining to secure nine race wins in 2024.

In the second heat, it was another win for the mare’s as Grant Dixon continued his run of success in this year’s Trot Rod’s with victory aboard Wonderwoman Jujon.

Taken back off a wide gate, Dixon came with a well-timed run to land victory in heat eight, securing Dixon his third heat victory for the year.

THE MILESTONE

Last Tuesday at Albion Park, the longest standing track record of the distances currently raced over was broken.

That record had been held by the horse that sits second for most ever wins at 'The Creek', most by a trotter and it was broken by a four-year-old having the 17^th start of his career.

Hide And Seek is an immensely talented square gaiter trained by Shannon Price that has also battled tractability concerns throughout his career.

Last Tuesday there were no signs of those issue as he showed his true ability when leading throughout over the 2138 metre trip.

Stepping cleanly from the tapes, he worked to the front for driver Mat Neilson and from there was never headed.

Running through the first quarter in 30.7 seconds followed by a 30.1 second split, Neilson allowed the four-year-old to maintain his rhythm as the field turned down the back straight on the final occasion.

With a 29.3 second third split, Hide And Seek led from Koda Da Moda, with Nortie Nortie in third, that trio breaking well clear of the other three runners.

As they swung for home, Koda Da Moda looked set to offer a challenge, however, Hide And Seek had the race well in his keeping, ripping home in 28.5 seconds to stop the clock at 1.58.7 for the 2138 metre standing start.

That shaved 0.3 seconds off the previous mark held by Our Overanova, which was set in September 2015.

While Speak The Truth has captured plenty of headlines for the Price stable in 2024, this latest record by Hide And Seek is the second track record for a Price-trained trotter this year, joining Van Sank on the record board.

THIS WEEK

A total of six race meetings are on the docket for this week in Queensland, the week starting with a 10 race card from Albion Park on Tuesday.

That meeting will include the QBRED Breeders Classic Consolations for each sex of the two-year-old and three-year-old pacers.

A further two meetings will be held at 'The Creek', with Friday scheduled as a day slot, before the metropolitan meeting on Saturday night.

The final two heats of the weekly Trot Rods before the 10 race finale night on May 29 will be held this Wednesday in one of two meetings for the week at Redcliffe.

The six days of racing will wrap up at Marburg on Sunday when racing heads to the 700 metre oval.