Queensland Harness Racing Wrap - July 15

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

THE GOOD

Week one of the Queensland Constellations saw Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen secure feature race success at Group 2 level, and the pair were able to step it up on night two, claiming Group 1 glory along with a treble on the night.

Four-year-old gelding Wisper A Secret came with a well-timed run to arrive in the closing strides for victory in the Racing and Sports The Rising Sun, holding a half-head margin over a brave Don Hugo for trainer/driver Luke McCarthy.

With the fourth running of The Rising Sun, Turpin was able to even the score for Queensland trainers, with the past two editions won by the home state, Wisper A Secret joining Leap To Fame on the honour roll.

Bred and owned by Taree dairy farmer Doug Johnston, the win vindicates a decision to turn down a lucrative offer from North America to buy the classy gelding some 12-months ago.

It is also a good change of fortune for Johnston whose dairy farm was devastated in early 2021 when one of the worst floods to hit the mid-North Coast of New South Wales swept through the family property.

Gaining one of the last invites into The Rising Sun, the son of Huntsville was positioned in the running line before McMullen angled three-wide with 1000 metres to travel.

Moving up strongly as Don Hugo moved to the lead at the 600, it developed into a two-horse battle over the closing stages, as McMullen and McCarthy each urged towards the finishing post.

With the closing splits in 27.4 and 27.7, it was Wisper A Secret that was able to finish best to grab the Group 1 victory, with Aroda a further two metres away in third.

"It's very special. It's a horse that we broke in, we've had him all the way through,” McMullen said after the win

"Chantal has done a wonderful job getting him spot on tonight. He failed at his last start, but she turned him back around.

“All his career he has raced pretty well fresh, and we were pretty happy to get the invite last week.  We had to miss the Queensland Sun which kind of threw a spanner in the works, but it all worked out for the better.”

Training and driving honours went to the Tupin/McMullen team, starting the night with victory for another Taree dairy farmer, John Polson, when Attachment finished best to claim the South East Derby Consolation.

The pair then combined to claim the South East Oaks with the impressive Kiwi import, Aardie B Miki, which was able to find the front from gate seven and lead throughout to score impressively.

It was the fourth Group 1 success for both Chantal and Pete, their third combined, and the way their stable is performing, there is every chance it will not be the last in this Constellations Carnival.

THE WILDCARD

The showdown of the brothers of broodmare Lettucereason, Leap To Fame and Swayzee, were not the only equine family to the fore on Saturday night, with two other broodmare gems securing at least one win on the night respectively.

With three runners on the night, Tatijana Bromac was able to secure two wins, with Canadian owner Mike Tanev, owning all three of the progeny out of the mare.

The three runners for Tanev are full siblings Aardies Express, Aardies Flash and Aardie B Miki all New Zealand bred progeny, with Express and B Miki both claiming wins.

Aardies Express was having her first Queensland appearance and just fifth since arriving in Australia when securing an all the way victory for Jason Grimson and Cam Hart.

The high-class mare stopped the clock in 1.51.9, holding off Manhattan in the last strides, taking her Australian record to four wins in five starts and set up a showdown in the Golden Girl with Ladies In Red.

Two-years her junior, Aardie B Miki was having her second Australian start for Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen when she too led throughout to claim the South East Oaks.

Sent forward from outside the front line, the three-year-old held a 3.5 metre margin to claim the Listed feature.

The four-year-old brother to the pair, Aardies Flash, finished unplaced in The Rising Sun, but is a previous feature winner at the track, claiming last season’s Peak of The Creek Final, giving Tatijana Bromac the distinction as the dam of three feature winners at Brisbane headquarters.

The Albion Park track record holder at the mile, Blacksadance, finished unplaced behind Leap To Fame, with the latter breaking his own track record over 2138 metres in the Mr Feelgood pace.

The half-brother of Blacksadance is the three-year-old Attachment and the Turpin trained gelding came with a well-timed run, to secure the South East Derby consolation.

Washington Lass, the dam of Attachment and Blacksadance is a three-time Queensland broodmare of the year.

With another showdown looming in the Blacks A Fake to continue the Swayzee and Leap To Fame rivalry, the door on unofficial title of broodmare of the carnival might be ajar.

THE MILESTONE

Last year Rockinwithattitude led the field and finished fourth behind London To A Brick in the inaugural running of the Haras Des TrotteursThe Great Square.

Fast forward 12 months and a more mature and stronger four-year-old Rockinwithattitude was again able to lead the field, however this time she was able to hold off London To A Brick.

The David Miles trained, and driven mare has put together a super record on the track with her victory on Saturday taking her record to 18 wins and seven minor placings in 30 starts, with earnings of $430,000.

Floating back in the early stages as Lucky Mum darted through to hold the front, Miles was content to be three-wide before putting the mare into attack mode, pressing forward to take the front with 1500 metres remaining.

Controlling the tempo thereafter, Rockinwithattitude was able to hold off a brave London To A Brick with a half-neck the margin, running closing splits of 29.1 and 27.8.

“She was super brave tonight, she was there to be beaten,” Miles said after the race.

“I thought he might have had me at the top of the straight, but gee she dug deep and showed champion qualities, I’m super proud of her.”

The 1.57.1 rate set a new PB for the Aldebaran Eagle mare who will back up this week in the Group 3 Trotters Sprint where she will step up into open company for the first time.

London To A Brick will be looking to reverse the result in this week’s sprint, while third placed Lucky Mum will head to the Trotters Oaks on Friday night.

THIS WEEK

Night three of the Constellations Carnival shapes as another extravaganza of top class pacing and trotting action.

Group 1 action over the sprint trip will see the Garrards Sunshine Sprint and the Garrards Golden Girl, with Leap To Fame looking to defend his Sunshine Sprint title from 2023.

Racing Queensland’s spot in The Eureka will be filled when the winner of The Hayden is crowned, with the race restricted to QBRED performers that are trained in the Sunshine State and driven by a Queensland based trainer.

Other features on the night include the J C McMullen, the Group 3 Trotters Sprint and the Wayne Wilson Paleface Adios Classic, which looks set to be a key lead in for the Protostar on the final night of the Carnival.

On Friday night at The Creek, there will be two features, with the Queensland Trotting Oaks and Trotting Derby both contested.

In total there are six meetings for the week in Queensland, with the other three from Redcliffe with the regular Wednesday and Thursday slots complemented with a Sunday night meeting.