Catch up on the week's harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
History was made at Maryborough in Central Victoria on Sunday and in a season that is producing record after record, it is no surprise that Nathan Dawson was part of the landmark moment.
No Queensland-trained horse had ever competed in a Victorian Trotting Derby Final until Not As Promised filled his spot from gate 12 in Sunday’s Group 1 feature.
Not only did he compete, the pacing-bred gelding was able to claim a strong victory in one of Victoria’s most sought after trotting features.
The drive from Dawson proving inch-perfect, putting Not As Promised into the race at the ideal moment.
“A lot of the good ones were on the fence tucked away, so I made the most of that and if I was good enough then so be it,” Dawson said.
“I wasn’t worried about the trip and because he was getting a good trip it worked out well for us."
After a credible fourth placing in the heat last week, off the back of a less than ideal trip to Victoria and preparation for the heat, the Graham Dwyer stable were hopeful to nurse the gelding through to the Final.
“He was probably a little bit unbalanced and hung in on the corners and he was still going to the line on the bridle and was only beaten a length,” Dwyer said
With an extra week in Victoria to acclimatise and prepare for the Final, Dwyer left his son Layne in Victoria to oversee the preparation along with good friend Denis Grieve where they based for the week.
“My son has looked after the horse this whole time with Denis, to have that as a 16-year-old, he has had the horse perfect, I am so proud of everybody that helps me” Dwyer said.
“My son just done a super job with the horse, the drive was super, the owner loves it and it is just so rewarding.”
It has been a stellar season for the Dwyer stable who also claimed a winning treble at Albion Park last Tuesday, the first winner giving Dwyer his 100th Queensland training success for 2023.
“We set little goals and it is nice to reach the 100 again and now we can look to finish off the season and see where we end up,” Dwyer said.
“Our owners are such a big part of operation as well as the great team of staff, out owners all love the sport like we do and it is a huge thrill to get any win at all for them."
It has been a breakout year for Dwyer, Sunday’s success the second Group 1 of the season following on from his inaugural Group 1 triumph with Quik Change in the QBRED Triad in August.
Not As Promised will now likely target further Group 1 success interstate, with the upcoming Breeders Crown Series now firmly on the radar.
THE BAD
Saturday night saw the end of an era when two long serving Clerks of the Course oversaw their final meeting in official duties with Don Ross and Dexter McLean saying farewell.
Led by Don Ross Snr, the Ross family have been the clerks of the course at tracks throughout the South East since 1986.
Assisted over that time by some talented riders, it was one of the longest serving red coats that has been part of the Ross team that also said farewell with Ross Snr on Saturday, Dexter McLean.
A regular over so many years, Ross Snr and McLean have both been involved in Inter Dominions and both have found memories of that involvement, if not for varying reasons.
Don Ross Snr was officiating in his first Inter Dominion Series in 1986 at Albion Park when he had the pleasure of leading back one of the all-time greats of the sport in Australia, Village Kid, to the roars of what could arguably be the biggest crowd ever seen at an Albion Park meeting.
For McLean, the 2001 Inter Dominion Series at Albion Park left a mark - literally - when the defending champion Shakamaker reacted to a situation and chomped down hard on an unsuspecting McLean who was rendering assistance in the usual red coat manner.
While Saturday night was relatively uneventful with no incidents, Ross Snr and McLean were at their posts and overseeing proceedings, ready to react as they have done for so many years.
Sunday night at Redcliffe was another farewell, with the night meeting the last time that the Ross family ponies officiated a meeting on 'The Triangle'.
And, so it will be this Tuesday, that at 5.22pm, the Ross Family sign off a race meeting for the last time in the Thank You Don Ross and Family Pace.
Don Ross Sr was bestowed with Life Membership of the Albion Park Harness Racing Club on Saturday for his dedication over many decades to the sport in Queensland.
The team of ‘red coats’ has grown over the years to include son Donny, grandson Donald and more recently granddaughter Stephanie and Tuesday will be the final meeting, with the coats hung up for the last time and the loyal white ponies saying farewell.
THE WILDCARD
It was a strong week in the sulky for Paige Bevan, driving three winners from just eight starters, topped off on Saturday night when driving her first ever metropolitan winner.
Finishing just out of the money with her first two drives for the week with a fourth aboard Swaggie Shannon on Tuesday at Albion Park and then another fourth on Tackas Last Dance at Redcliffe on Wednesday night, Bevan cashed in with her only other Redcliffe starter that evening.
Taking the reins aboard Stompem in the last race for trainer Grant Dixon, the inside second line gate ensured that the veteran would secure the ideal economical trip.
Locked away three back when the field settled into a single file order, Bevan made her move at the 700 metre mark, easing off the inside to amble up to the leader and take the outside line forward.
Moving equal to the leader as the field swung for home, Stompem responded and pulled clear in the closing stages to claim his 23rd career victory.
Bevan has developed a good rapport with the nine-year-old, having now driven the gelding to three victories and six minor placings in 15 drives.
At Redcliffe on Thursday it was a front running display aboard the Richard March-trained Arnold Street, the four-year-old untroubled in claiming the ninth win of his career.
The breakout season for Bevan continued on Saturday night at 'The Creek', taking the reins aboard the Shane Graham-trained Lord Zarias, the five-year-old looking ideally placed back into Band 5 company by utilising the concession claim.
Holding the lead comfortably out of the gate, it was a controlled and steady opening half, that left plenty for the sprint home and through closing quarters of 27.9 seconds and 27.8 seconds, Lord Zarias held on for his third Albion Park victory this season.
It was the 22nd win this season for Paige, far exceeding her previous best of 13 wins in the 2012 season, her career tally now just one win away from a half century of winners.
THE MILESTONE
Matt Crone claimed his first metropolitan win as a trainer on Saturday night when Tam Oshanter proved too strong in the last race of the night.
Increasing the size of his stable in recent months and taking on many horses formerly prepared by his mother Kay, it was a good end to the week for Crone who also scored a win at Redcliffe on Thursday with Ghost Train.
Only taking out his training licence last season when preparing three winners, this increase to the team has seen Crone train 16 winners thus far at a tidy strike rate of 15 per cent.
With two runners in the trot on Saturday night, Crone took the reins aboard Indefensible while Angus Garrard was booked for Tam OShanter
When the tapes released, Garrard had his drive safely away from the 10-metre handicap and within 100 metres had touched down in the lead.
Allowing Tam Oshanter to roll along in front, it was a solid lead time of 40.5 seconds and was followed with a strong first half of 60.4 seconds.
Rating the pace in front with even splits, Call Me Trouble loomed strongly off the back straight after a 29.5 second third split and at one point looked set to challenge hard.
However, Garrard had plenty in reserve with the seven-year-old and with a closing panel in 29.9 seconds, was able to record a winning margin of 6.6 metres over Call Me Trouble, with Global Flight for Narissa McMullen, which had sat parked throughout, holding in for third.
The win was the 14th career victory for Tam OShanter, with his stake earnings surpassing $100,000 with the victory.
It will also prove a timely boost for Crone’s chances of sneaking the gelding into the Inter Dominion later in the year following the second round of rankings which were released last Wednesday.
Likely to need Racing Queensland to opt for a 36 horse Series, Tam Oshanter did his ranking plenty of favours with the victory.
Ranked at 51 in the latest rankings, Tam Oshanter beat home seven horses that are ranked in front of him with his victory.
THIS WEEK
The racing starts to warm up this week with the first night of the 2023 Queensland Summer Harness Carnival.
Tuesday afternoon will see four heats of the Peak of The Creek, with the all-important barrier draw to be conducted at Albion Park following the final heat.
Barriers are selected with connections to choose their own barrier in order of finishing position then fastest individual time from the heats.
Nomination deadlines have been extended until Tuesday morning for all races so that fields will be released Tuesday afternoon to coincide with the Peak of The Creek barrier selections.
Saturday will be a bumper card of racing with the Be Good Johnny Sprint, with every chance that Leap To Fame will be amongst nominations.
Complementing the card will be the QBRED For Life Finals for three-year-olds of each sex, while the two-year-old will be a mixed sex Final.
A Mobile Trotting feature will also be on the card, as will the Garrards Queen of the Creek.
Tuesday’s Albion Park meeting will be the start of six straight days of racing in Queensland, three meetings from 'The Creek', two from Redcliffe and the week rounding out on Sunday at Marburg.
