Dashman's harness examination - October 21

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

CHLOE OH SO CLOSE

The Australian Female Drivers Championships were held at Launceston on Sunday night where Paige Bevan and Chloe Butler represented Queensland.

The opening two heats of the six heat series saw Butler without a drive, while Bevan finished fourth in each of the first two from tough barriers.

The third heat saw Bevan without a drive while Butler’s first appearance in the Championship returned immediate success, bringing the Todd Rattray-trained Magic Joe with a well-timed run to claim victory.

Heat four saw the Queensland ladies both in the money, Butler in second place with Freeasabyrd and Bevan in third aboard Believe In Forever for Emma Stewart and Michael Laugher respectively.

Heat five and Butler again grabbed a minor placing, this time in a race that changed complexion with 150 metres to travel when series leader, Deni Roberts, galloped turning for home when over three lengths in front.

Going into the sixth and final heat, Butler was well placed to chase the title, partnering with the race favourite, Gypsy Amour.

However, a wide gate proved a hurdle too high, and Gypsy Amour finished at the tail of the field, while the West Australian, Roberts, finished fifth.

Both equal on 49 Championship points, it came down to a count back to decide the winner with Roberts pinching the title from Butler’s grasp.

FONZ IN HARRIOTT

Only breaking maiden ranks with an Albion Park victory on October 8, the Ryan Veivers-owned and trained Aldebaran Fonz claimed a second career win on Sunday.

The win came in the Graham Harriott Memorial, held every year at Marburg to honour their former club president and the club's premier trotting race for the season.

With a capacity field of trotters to do battle, three-year-old Aldebaran Fonz was handicapped off the front line and with great manners made the most of the advantage early by stepping cleanly to lead in the early stages.

Leading through the first lap, Call Me Trouble was up applying strong pressure to the leader after beginning well from his 60 metre back mark and with one lap to travel worked his way to the front.

Under strong urgings from driver Jordan Topping, Aldebaran Fonz was able to hold the back of the new leader and with 300 metres to travel, angled back off the inside and moved up strongly to retake the lead and then pull clear in the closing stages to post a seven-metre margin.

Call Me Trouble held on for second placing, while Crookwell Eyes claimed third, with driver Gary Whitaker wearing Graham Harriott’s green and white check silks.

With few trot races held at Marburg, the 2.03.8 winning rate for the 2200 metre journey established a new three-year-old benchmark for the trip.

Purchased out of a paddock clearance from Aldebaran Park, Aldebaran Fonz has been a consistent performer since starting his career, having placed on 11 occasions and now with the two wins from his 20 starts.

ELEGANT AND SLICK

Lightly-raced mare Elegant Grooves claimed a metropolitan victory at just her sixth career start on Saturday night. 

Owned by Joedy and Gary Whitaker, the pair had trained the troublesome mare who has only started her racing career as a four-year-old this season.

Winning three of her first four starts, including a debut victory by over 40 metres, the decision was made to send the mare to Graham Dwyer to continue her progress after she was sent for a spell in March.

Resuming with a smart first-up win, the four-year-old was thrown in the deep end on Saturday to tackle experienced mares and the result was electrifying.

Three-wide through the opening 600 metres, Layne Dwyer finally got outside the leader with 1000 metres to travel but continued to maintain the speed.

Forging to the front with 500 metres to travel, Elegant Grooves continued the hard tempo, claiming a four-metre winning margin.

Stopping the clock in a rate of 1.51.8, how far can Elegant Grooves go?

INTER BOUND

The second round rankings for the 2024 Inter Dominion have been released and across the weekend some Queenslanders lower on the list produced strong performances.

Always Smokin improved from 65 to 61 following the initial rankings and should be climbing higher off his performance on Saturday night.

Leading throughout in 1.49.6, the win placed Always Smokin equal second for the quickest mile ever recorded at 'The Creek', and just the fourth pacer to break the 1.50 barrier.

Later in the evening, Aroda, who is ranked 85 in the 'ID24' rankings, yet 22 in the NZ Cup rankings, was able to claim a gritty win, sitting parked and fighting off the challengers in a 27.3 second closing panel to post a 1.53.0 mile.

In Saturday night’s trotters race, five of the seven contestants that did battle are in the Inter Dominion nominations.

Top Of The Moment sprinted sharply over the closing stages to grab victory from Is That A Bid, with the winner one of the two runners not in the 'ID24' nominations.

Dropping from 32 to 36 from the initial to second rankings, Is That A Bid was only beaten a half-neck behind the winner.

Gus, currently ranked 16, was resuming from a spell on Saturday and his night ended with a steward’s embargo to return to the trials after galloping twice in the run.

DIFFERENT WEEK AHEAD

Albion Park is undertaking a track resurfacing this week, with the scheduled maintenance starting as soon as Saturday night’s meeting was completed.

That will see Tuesday’s meeting transferred to Marburg, with an eight-race card on the docket.

Redcliffe will maintain the regular Tuesday and Wednesday slots with Albion Park back racing on Friday with a night meeting.

Queensland will be well represented in the Group 1 Breeders Challenge Finals at Menangle on Saturday night where Leap To Fame will be back in action in the Battle of Beersheba.