Dashman's harness examination - March 3

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

TEAL MADE FOR TALEAH

A Team Teal ambassador in 2025, Taleah McMullen dominated at Marburg on Sunday in the first meeting of the season at the 700-metre oval.

Starting the day with a victory, McMullen guided outsider Wecanonlydream to a smart victory for trainer Warren Hinze.

She positioned the three-year-old in the one-by-one trail and then proved too strong over the closing stages to score.

The second win came aboard nine-year-old mare Singer Snap for trainer Trent Hodges.

She led throughout to win. 

Singer Snap had been first across the line just once in 105 previous appearances, with that win coming at the corresponding meeting in 2024.

McMullen drove confidently on the mare and never looked in danger at any stage.

Later in the day, the treble was complete when combining with her father, John McMullen, aboard 10-year-old gelding Crime Time.

Despite the second line gate, McMullen put the gelding into the contest soon after the start and pressed forward to get outside the leader and from there proved too strong.

The quartet was realised with another all-the-way victory, firing B Mac C out to the front and maintaining that position throughout.

Closing in on $200,000 career earnings, McMullen has been at the reins for 19 of the 27 lifetime victories the 10-year-old has recorded.

The latest Team Teal leader board now has the two ambassadors, McMullen and Chloe Butler, leading the ladies for most wins during the campaign.

REDCLIFFE SHINES BRIGHT

The Redcliffe lighting upgrade is nearing full completion.

On Wednesday night the project took a major leap towards the end date when they were used under for the first time at a race meeting.

And, the impact was immediate, with both the on-course and televised experience a huge difference.

The third event on the program was the first race where night had set in enough to gain an understanding of how much improvement the new lights make.

And, it was a Redcliffe track specialist in Misstrepo who claimed the first win.

Approaching 100 lifetime starts at Redcliffe, it was the 17^th win that the Graham Dwyer-trained mare has claimed on 'The Triangle'.

The Jack Butler-trained Torque In Control claimed a 17^th career win, 16 of those coming at Redcliffe, in the following event. 

Torque In Control has an affinity with the Redcliffe surface.

Continuing the theme of mares and Redcliffe, just one race later and Heavens Baby for Stewart Dickson and Leonard Cain landed her eighth career success.

All eight have been recorded at Redcliffe for Heavens Baby. 

DROUGHTBREAKER FOR GARY

Gary Whitaker secured his first win of the 2025 season when steering talented mare Elegant Grooves to victory at Albion Park last Tuesday.

Driving five winners in the 2024 term, the last of those was recorded on March 31, with Whitaker unable to convert the last nine months of the season into a race win.

The dual Group 1-winner does not drive the same numbers that he once did.

He has jumped in to partner Elegant Grooves, a mare owned by wife Joedy and trained by Graham Dwyer.

Pressing on to find the front in the eighth race last Tuesday, the five-year-old was able to hold off the fast-finishing Checknoutthetalent to claim a narrow victory.

That was her fifth lifetime victory from just 15 starts which have produce slick wins in 1.51.8 and 1.52.5 to date in her brief career.

Claiming his first victory in almost 11 months, Whitaker wasted little time in adding another.

He guided Williewa Lightning to victory at Redcliffe at his next race appearance, some 24 hours later.

MENANGLE GLORY

Just over a metre was the margin between Queensland-owned pacers making it successive wins in the Chariots Of Fire.

Charge Ahead attacked the line strongly in the closing stages to grab second place in the Group 1 feature.

Frankie Ferocious did it for the Crosby stable in 2024.

Charge Ahead was brave in this year’s edition for his owners, Kay and Kevin Seymour, chasing hard but ultimately unable to reel in Bay Of Biscay.

Charge Ahead raced on three occasions during his Sydney campaign and finished in second place in all three appearances.

The biggest defeat was just under two metres from fellow Queenslander, The Janitor, back on February 15.

Three heats of the New South Wales Derby were conducted on Saturday and the Grant Dixon stable were able to qualify two pacers for the classic.

Path To Greatness was brave.

Path To Greatness was forced to lead up the running line before finishing four metres from the winner Silver Pistol and will now tackle the Derby at just his ninth career start.

In the third heat, Fate Awaits was able to slot into the running line.

However, he too was left exposed and was forced to sit parked throughout in running a valiant third. 

Speak The Truth was unable to secure a start in this week’s Miracle Mile after he could only manage a seventh placing behind the Inter Dominion champion, Don Hugo.

Sure Thing Captain, stablemate of Speak The Truth, has been listed as the second emergency for the Miracle Mile.

THIS WEEK

Leap To Fame will be chasing a second successive Miracle Mile in one of the strongest editions of the famed race to be held.

Leap To Fame will again need to overcome a wide gate.

The Grant Dixon stable will also have a two-pronged attack on the New South Wales Derby with Fate Awaits staring from barrier two and Path To Greatness securing gate five in a stellar field.

Closer to home and the first round heats of the Jim McNeil Trotting Championship will be held on Friday at Albion Park.

The series is conducted over two heat rounds prior to the $27,000 Final to be held on March 22.