Queensland Harness Racing Wrap - May 27

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

THE GOOD

Having won nearly every big race at Albion Park - few drivers have had as much success at 'The Creek' as Luke McCarthy

Campaigning a team in Queensland in recent weeks, McCarthy has mixed his time between Menangle and Albion Park and on Saturday night claimed winners at both tracks with a 100 per cent strike-rate.

The Menangle winner came courtesy of his only runner on the night, Nicholas Cage, who led throughout in the last race of the night with Jack Callaghan driving.

Meanwhile at 'The Creek'. McCarthy prepared three runners on the card, taking the reins with all three and leaving the track with a treble of winners.

McCarthy was in dominant form; the first win came aboard the well-bred Major Perry which was stepping out at Albion Park for the first time.

Settling in the running line from a second line gate, McCarthy produce the stallion at the right time, and he loomed strongly to grab Master Catch right on the line to claim victory by the barest possible margin.

Its Ebonynivory was the middle leg of the treble, the mare going one better than her close second from last week when narrowly defeated by Girl From Rosedale.

Drawn gate 10 for the second consecutive week, McCarthy drove a confident race, looping the field early to take control with 800 metres to travel.

The seven-year-old went through a 28.9 second third quarter before finishing off in 27.8 seconds to hold off a fast-finishing Diamond Shooz, with early leader, Lay Digby holding on for third.

Snow Hunter was another newcomer to Albion Park, tackling a mare’s qualifier and from gate five, McCarthy put the mare into the race early finding the front within the first 600 metres.

Once in control, the five-year-old was never in danger, holding off the odds-on favourite Mahin, with Sii Sempre Tilly adding some value to the exotics, chiming in for third after starting at $126.

The McCarthy team will fire up again this week, with Cantfindabettorman, Constantinople and Eye Keep Smiling all likely to join last week’s winners lining up on the metropolitan card.

STAR GAZING

Last season’s Blacks A Fake winner, Swayzee, was first-up on Saturday at Menangle since the Inter Dominion Final when finishing third behind Leap To Fame.

His performance over the 2300 metre journey was enormous, pressing forward from a wide gate and power running the trip to stop the clock in a jaw-dropping 1.52.1, indicating he will be a huge force when the Grimson team arrives in Queensland in the coming weeks.

Tay Tay could be a potential Golden Girl contender on the back of her 1.50.4 win at Menangle, adding more fire-power to the Grimson team which will also feature the five-year-old trotter Royal Dan.

Driven by Jack Callaghan, Royal Dan was 0.9 seconds off the 2300 metre track record held by Tough Monarch, leading throughout to score a powerful victory.

At Melton, Captain Hammerhead put his name forward for a potential The Rising Sun invite, grinding out a tough win in smart time over the 2240 metre journey.

Aaron Dunn was thrilled with the performance of his two-year-old Forty Love and will head to the inaugural The Protostar under Dunn’s slot off the back of his 1.54.7 victory.

Already a The Rising Sun invitee, The Lost Storm resumed from a spell with a narrow victory, while the Rickie Alchin trained three-year-old, Soho Spectre, added victory in the APG Bullion to his New South Wales Derby win, suggesting he will be a contender if he makes the trip north.

Closer to home, Regazzo Di Tilly scored an impressive victory for Daren and Angus Garrard, with the four-year-old on a Queensland Sun, The Rising Sun, The Hayden path for the Constellations.

THE MILESTONE

Dannielle Veivers reached a milestone on Friday night when leading throughout aboard Western Arterra, who is trained by her husband Ryan.

Finding the front with ease from gate two through an opening split of 28 seconds, a controlled second quarter in 32.6 seconds meant that the closing sprint was going to put the race out of reach for those back in the pack.

Rating the speed, Western Arterra responded and charged home through the closing quarter in a sizzling 26.8 seconds to claim his first win since being prepared by Ryan, with the win also doubling as the 500^th driving victory for Dannielle.

Claiming her first win in the 2011-12 season, the 2017-18 campaign has been her most prolific when claiming 79 wins in that term.

Mixing race driving with work commitments in previous seasons, recently Dannielle has mixed family and driving as well as focussing on building the 'Veivers Racing' team since relocating to their own property at Harrisville.

The milestone also saw Dannielle join sisters Taleah and Narissa in reaching 500 career victories, with their combined tally sitting at 2,425 winners.

THE WILDCARD

Jordan Topping had a good week in the sulky, steering home four winners which included her 100th career success.

Heading to Redcliffe on Wednesday night sitting on 98 victories, Topping quickly moved to 99, with her first drive of the evening, Glenledi Commander, leading throughout in strong time.

One race later and attempting to lead throughout aboard For No Reason, the mare was collared in the closing stages to finish second.

Onto race five and Topping was able to fire out at the start once again, this time aboard Nuclear Bling and leading deep into the stretch, the mare was grabbed on the line, beaten a half-head.

With only one other drive for the night and drawn inside the second line, Topping would be needing some factors to go her way in the run to reach the triple figures.

With the one able to hold the lead, She Owns The Day secured the perfect trip in behind the speed and when angled to the passing lane, the seven-year-old responded to arrive for the victory.

Completing the successful week, Topping claimed another winning double at Marburg on Sunday, again with a winner apiece for Ryan Veivers and Dan Russell.

The first leg of the winning double was extra special, as Balboa Shannon, who is part-owned by Topping was successful, the six-year-old claiming his first win since joining the Russell stable.

THIS WEEK

A total of six meetings to be split between Redcliffe and Albion Park this week, with each club hosting three apiece.

A program of eight races will be decided on Tuesday at 'The Creek' with a day slot on Friday before Saturday’s metropolitan fixture.

Saturday will see the race return of Leap To Fame, the reigning Horse of the Year resuming from a spell in race two at 6.16pm.

On Wednesday at Redcliffe a big 10 race Trot Rod night of speed will wrap up the 2024 season of the one lap sprints.

Master Charles is currently the fastest heat winner and will be hoping to grip on to the lead with $10,000 and a three horse Otto Tuza floats.

Redcliffe will then host a huge 11 race meeting on Thursday before a Sunday evening meet to wrap up the week.