Queensland Harness Racing Wrap - July 23

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

THE GOOD

If not already there, the march towards champion status continued Saturday when Leap To Fame secured his second successive Garrards Sunshine Sprint.

The latest victory took the Grant Dixon trained star to 10 Group 1 victories, joining a list that now contains six of the greatest pacers of modern times to have claimed 10 or more victories at the elite level.

With career earnings of close to $3 million, the Sunshine Sprint was the 40^th victory for Leap To Fame from 51 starts, as he made a one-act affair of the 1660 metre event.

The 1.50.0 rate for the trip is the quickest time that Leap To Fame has recorded at The Creek, eclipsing the 1.50.2 he has run on two previous occasions, including in his 2023 Sunshine Sprint win.

With District Attorney pressing to the front as the mobile pulled clear of the field, Dixon continued forward, with a steady opening quarter of 28.3 as Leap To Fame worked to the front with 1200 metres to travel.

As District Attorney took cover, another of the Jason Grimson trained runners, Hi Manameisjeff worked forward from his second line gate to sit parked.

With a second quarter in 28.1, Dixon increased the tempo, taking them off the back in a 27.1 quarter.

Turning for home, those back in the pack were all stalling as the only danger looked to be camped behind Leap To Fame, however as soon as they straightened, there was no danger and Larry finished them off in 26.6 seconds, joining Hectorjayjay, Cobbity Classic and Sokyola as successive winners of the race.

It was a successful night for Dixon and Kevin and Kay Seymour, combining for victory in The Hayden with Free Thinker.

Driven by Trista Dixon, Free Thinker gained the perfect trip in the one-by-one trail and arrived in the last strides, holding off the fast-finishing Regazzo Di Tilly.

Free Thinker contested the inaugural Hayden in 2023 and along with Apollo Dreamz were the only three-year-olds backing up this year to contest the Racing Queensland Eureka qualifier.

Bred by the Seymour’s, Free Thinker is by the ill-fated Hurrikane Kongcole. The latest victory taking his record to nine wins from 33 starts and stakes just short of $250,000.

Stopping the clock in a 1.53.1 rate, it set a new PB for the four-year-old, his career earnings moving him past his half-brother Future Assured as the richest progeny of the great producer French Charm which is also the dam of the winners, Frontliner, Fact Finder and French Fries

THE WILDCARD

Gatton Show form from Friday proved a reliable reference at Redcliffe on Sunday night, with two race winners boasting success on the show circuit just two nights prior.

Contesting the Doug Massam Memorial Final, the Dallas Wilkins trained Could It Be Me proved too classy.

In the other final, it was the Ricky Gordon trained Miss Pau that was able to claim victory, driven by Amanda Payne throughout the day.

Both horses were then taken to Redcliffe on Sunday night for engagements, and both were able to add to their Friday night victories with a further win.

Miss Pau started a $1.70 favourite in her race, with Payne again taking the reins and sending the mare hard off the gate to find the front.

Holding on to win by a head margin, it was the seventh win this season for Payne, eclipsing her previous best term of six in the 2022 season.

The win was the 14^th career win for Miss Pau, Payne having driven the seven-year-old in four of those victories.

For Dallas Wilkins, it was the third winner this season for the 69-year-old, his best season in over 15 years.

All three wins have been with Could It Be Me, the seven-year-old adding Gatton Show success to his win at the Gympie Show earlier in the season.

Making a three-wide move at Redcliffe, Could It Be Me was wide off the track but proved too strong for his rivals, clinging on for the narrowest of margins over the Dan Russell trained Sporty Azz, with Major Mischief grabbing third.

THE MILESTONE

Duke Of Scotland claimed a sentimental victory in the J C McMullen, providing Pete McMullen his third victory in the race.

Having won the race in 2020 with Will the Wizard and 2021 aboard Uncle Shank, if following the trajectory that those previous winners followed, Duke Of Scotland will be a horse to follow.

Already unbeaten in two previous start for the Turpin, McMullen stable, the four-year-old has shown some versatility in his victories, while possessing a slick change of speed.

Fires off the arm on Saturday, he found the front before taking cover as Kalasa came across to take over.

Content to take the pocket, Saifa moved forward to get to the wheel of the leader as Wetsren Arterra which had been sent forward was able to secure the one-by-one trail.

Angling for home, Kalasa was starting to stall and favourite backers which had rallied strongly around Duke Of Scotland would have been feeling anxious, until McMullen was able to get the gelding into the clear.

Once diving through, he really started to pick up and attacking the line was able to dart through to claim the victory.

A race that McMullen targets each year, it was a quinella in this year’s edition as Alta Magacian finished hard to grab second, with Chantal taking the reins on the four-year-old.

Runing the mile in 1.52 flat, Duke Of Scotland will now be given a chance to step up to stronger company this week in the four-year-old Championship.

QBRED DERBY SUCCESS

It was a QBRED payday in the Queensland Trotters Derby when My Ultimate Sunny proved too classy on Friday night.

Bred by Greg and Sharon Mitchell of GSM Racing, the yearling was sold in Sydney after being prepared for sale by Rickie Alchin.

Sold to Alchin’s brother Jarrod, the team of Scott Whitton and Jodie Foster from from Tumby Park purchased the colt.

Now the winner at four of his first five starts My Ultimate Sunny has already dealt with his fair share of problems.

However, the first prize money in the Derby along with the $14,000 QBRED first win bonus, will go some way to paying some of the veterinary bills the colt has managed to accrue already in his career.

Luckless in last week’s The Great Square, he started a long odds-on fav to claim the Derby and justified the quote with an effortless victory.

With a few days in the paddock, My Ultimate Sunny will return to Sydney where Alchin will look to qualify the colt from the standing start, with a view to returning for the Triad in late August.

THIS WEEK

The brightest stars of the Constellations Carnival will be out this Saturday, with ten races jam-packed with some of the best pacers and trotters in the country.

Undoubtedly the star of the show, Leap To Fame will need to overcome an awkward gate to avenge his Blacks A Fake defeat of 2023.

The inaugural Ladbrokes Protostar sets up as a great race with Fate Awaits landing gate 1, The Highlight Reel in gate 3.

The Derby field looks deep and the Oaks field is possibly the strongest Queensland Oaks across the board in recent times.

Six meetings for the week will be held in the Sunshine State, with a ten-race card at The Creek on Tuesday before the Constellations Carnival wraps up with Blacks A Fake night.

Redcliffe pick up the Friday meeting to race three days in succession from Wednesday through Friday, while Marburg will have a Sunday afternoon meeting.