Catch up on the week's harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
It was a big week for the state’s leading trainer Grant Dixon, claiming winning quartets on successive days, then putting the icing on the week with Leap To Fame back to his barnstorming best on Saturday night.
On Wednesday night, Grant took just the four runners up the Houghton Highway to Redcliffe and left the track later that evening with four winners.
Goldies A Delight started the run, scoring a dominant front-running victory in a sizzling 1.54.7 rate, the four-year-old claiming her eighth career victory and setting a new personal best with the win.
Five Star Gem and Sunrise Ruby each claimed wins in their respective events before Call To Order was equally as impressive as Goldies A Delight, posting almost an identical winning margin of 17.3 metres.
On Thursday night at 'The Triangle', Grant claimed his first winner in the second race of the night when Reds Star Deal powered home over the top of his opponents to claim the sixth win of his career, five of those wins coming this season at Redcliffe.
Fraya made it a winning double one race later with Flo Ryda and then Explanation Noted each wining to complete the quartet.
Adding another winner on Friday at 'The Creek', the biggest smile for the week would arguably come following the running of the Queensland Cup.
With Leap To Fame taking his position from barrier five, Grant sent his star four-year-old on a forward mission and within the first 400 metres had worked to the front and had control of the race.
Running the field through a lead time of 35.7 seconds, the first quarter came on the board in 29 seconds.
With Hot And Treacherous working hard outside the leader, the second split was 29.8 seconds and as the field swung down the back the final time, Grant let Leap To Fame build the speed.
Going off the back in 27.4 seconds, Hot And Treacherous had run his race, while Blacksadance which had been trailing the leader throughout, was trying to lift and launch a claim.
However, the field were chasing in vain as Leap To Fame dropped them, hitting the line strongly in a 26.5 second closing quarter, pulling clear to a 13.9-metre victory.
Manila Playboy, who had raced three back along the inside, found space late and charged home for second place, with Blacksadance holding on for third.
The winning mile rate of 1.51.7 shaved 0.3 seconds off the previous track record, held by 'Larry’s' older half-brother Swayzee.
The win was the 25th Albion Park victory recorded by Leap To Fame.
The winning week for the Dixon stable continued with Trista Dixon claiming an all the way victory with Ok Boomer to secure The Bill Dixon.
It was the second time, at the fifth running of the race to recognise Queensland Hall of Famer, the late Bill Dixon, that Trista has been successful in the race.
Iron Clad rounded out the impressive week for Grant and the team, the two-year-old proving too strong to claim the Burwood Stud Two Year Old Classic.
THE BAD
Jeseeka looked set to claim victory in last week’s QBRED For Life Fillies Final after leading for much of the 2138 metre journey, only to be collared in the last strides by Miki Magic.
Having just her sixth career start in that race, the three-year-old was able to bounce back at Albion Park on Saturday night by scoring in the Cattlewash at Trump Bloodstock Three Year Old Fillies Classic.
Once again showing good speed from the mobile, driver Mathew Neilson had her in front before allowing Sweet Georgia Brown to run to the front with one mile left to travel after Pete McMullen worked forward to apply pressure.
With the great trip in behind the speed, the filly was always travelling well and when Neilson angled into the passing lane, the filly responded and darted through to take the lead and secure a narrow victory.
A late starter, the royally-bred Jeseeka only started her racing career back in August and placed in the QBRED Triad Consolation behind Fias Charm at just her third career start.
Breaking maiden ranks at her next start in early September, the daughter of Art Major made it back-to-back victories one week later before being sent for a freshen.
Fresh up in last week’s QBRED For Life Feature, she was just a half-head away from victory, gaining the sweetest of redemption with her latest win.
That took the record of Jeseeka to three wins from seven starts, with a further three placings, her only unplaced run coming in a heat of the Triad where she struck trouble in the run when finishing at the rear.
It was a good week for trainer Anna Woodmansey, with Grigora also successful on Wednesday night at Redcliffe.
With just a small team in work, Woodmansey has put together a smart strike-rate this season, claiming eight winners and 12 placings from 36 starters.
THE WILDCARD
Melissa Kendall leaves the majority of the race driving for her stable to other drivers, however, still has the occasional drive and on Wednesday night at Redcliffe, took the reins aboard Lara Bay.
Lara Bay is a mare she owns and trains.
Beginning well from the inside gate, Kendall had the mare in front soon after the start and was able to control the tempo throughout the race, holding on to claim victory by a narrow head margin.
The win was the 16th career victory for Lara Bay, the fourth since Melissa took over the training of the daughter of Mr Feelgood.
Closing in on $100,000 in stake earnings, the win by Lara Bay also broke a driving drought for her owner, trainer and driver, giving Kendall her first win this season at her 36th race drive for the term.
Claiming the 10th win of her career as a driver, it was also a good training week, preparing three winners from just seven starters, with Holdingno Currency and Diego Delgado also scoring in their respective Redcliffe assignments.
There was also only a short-half-head difference between a fourth winner when Shesherz which was driven by her son Zac Chappenden was collared in the last stride on Wednesday night.
The win of Lara Bay moved Kendal equal with her previous best training season of 19 wins which was recorded last year.
With the subsequent wins of Holdingno Currency and Diego Delgado, Kendall is now on 21 wins for the season as she closes in on 100 career victories.
THE MILESTONE
Having claimed the metropolitan drivers title for the past two seasons, Pete McMullen, is trailing Nathan Dawson by six wins in the 2023 race.
McMullen has been able to bridge the gap in the past two weeks, claiming three winners to Dawson’s one in the metropolitan race.
Saturday saw McMullen claim his 50th success for the season at the metro level when partnering with the Jack Butler-trained Funny Face to claim the Trotters Spring Sprint.
Safely away from the mobile to settle behind the leader, Majestic Harry, who set a solid opening half of 59 seconds.
With Adelle sitting at the wheel of the leader, the pressure was on down the back straight with a 28.1 second third split as Majestic Harry tried to fight off the challengers.
Adelle was under hard driving swinging for home and could not reel in the leader, while Funny Face secured perfect momentum into the passing lane and McMullen got to work on the five-year-old.
Darting through, the mare pulled clear over the closing stages to post a winning margin of 4.1 metres over Sir Fahrenheit which also sliced through on the passing lane after sitting three back along the inside, with Majestic Harry holding on for third.
The winning mile rate of 1.55.6 equalled the class record for mares with McMullen holding the reins behind Sugarinspice which did hold the record outright before Saturday’s win by the Jack Butler-trained mare.
Victory also came with a bonus of a Golden Ticket to the Inter Dominion, meaning Funny Face, secures ranking exemption for the upcoming series.
On the cusp at a ranking of 25 before Saturday night, Butler can now prepare Funny Face for the series with the knowledge that the mare is safely into the first round heats on December 1.
THIS WEEK
Six meetings will be held in Queensland over the coming week, three apiece form both Albion Park and Redcliffe.
This week will see the running of the BOTRA Young Drivers Championship, with two heats to be held Wednesday night at Redcliffe, two at Albion Park on Friday afternoon and the final two at Redcliffe on Sunday.
Tuesday will be a nine-race card from 'The Creek' to start the week, before a day meeting on Friday and then Saturday’s metropolitan fixture.
Saturday’s programme includes a two-year-old and three-year-old event sponsored by Ultimate Tools that includes a winning rug and trophy to connections, $250 to the winning trainer and driver and a $500 voucher to the winning trainer.
Redcliffe have nine races on Wednesday night, where the Young Drivers Championship will commence, with two heats to be conducted.
The traditional Thursday afternoon timeslot returns this week after last week’s night slot and Redcliffe will also host a Sunday twilight fixture which has been transferred from Marburg.
