Catch up on the week's harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
Owner and breeder Bruce Wyborn has another talented trotter on his hands after Why Tanya Sue was able to secure the first two-year-old trotters race of the season, held at Albion Park last Tuesday.
Stepping safely when the tapes released, the filly was nursed in the early stages as the widest of the four runners, with Pete McMullen allowing Why Tanya Sue to get comfortable in her gait before pressing on to find the front with 1700 metres to travel.
Once in front, the John McMullen-trained filly was never headed, trotting cleanly throughout the remainder of the event, pulling clear over the final stages to post a huge winning margin of 34.3 metres.
Running them along in front, Pete ran the first half in 61.4 seconds, maintaining the tempo through a 30.1 second third split, before finishing in 29.5 seconds to stop the clock in a 2.05.1 rate.
Monterey Lass, for trainer and driver Shane Graham, held on for second, with the Doug Lee-trained and reined Justabitlikethis finishing in third place.
For Wyborn, it is the second time that he has owned and bred the first two-year-old trotting winner of the year in Queensland, replicating his result of 2022.
On that occasion it was Susan Is Her Name, trained by Chantal Turpin that was successful, with Pete McMullen taking the reins.
Susan Is Her Name has proven to be a high-quality square gaiter since that initial win, going on to secure a Group 1 Breeders Crown victory later in her two-year-old season after being sent to Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin by Wyborn.
With an interrupted three-year-old term, the filly had just two starts but one of those was a second Group 1 victory in the VicBred Final, while there is some chance that the five-time winner could be headed back to Queensland to chase The Great Square.
Meanwhile, the victory of Why Tanya Sue was a satisfying result for Wyborn, a member of the track staff at 'The Creek'.
Following her qualifying trial, there was a high price offer for Why Tanya Sue from interstate suitors, however at this stage, Wyborn is more than happy to keep hold of his filly.
With the opportunities for the trotter continuing to expand in Queensland, not only was it emotionally satisfying to see his filly claim a maiden breaking victory on debut, it was also a pocket boosting victory.
Along with the winning stake money, Wyborn also secured the $14,000 QBRED first win bonus and the $2,000 trotters first win bonus.
Just like Susan Is Her Name, Why Tanya Sue is a daughter of the champion trotting sire Sebastian K, inheriting the speed he has injected into his progeny.
Despite the joy of winning, Wyborn experienced the frustrations of owning square gaiters, when just one race later, My Name Is Bruce, the half-brother of Why Tanya Sue, made an error to finish at the tail of the field.
STAR GAZING
The farewell tour of Ladies In Red is on target, with the high-class mare claiming another feature race at Melton on Saturday night as a swan song in The Golden Girl remains the target.
Securing her 27th career victory, the mare has missed a placing just once in her 35 starts and her latest Cinderella Stakes victory has her primed for the trip to Queensland.
With as many as 12 horses part of the Clayton Tonkin team likely to head north, it will be a team full of power.
On the same Melton card, Virginia Clowers put her best forward with an eye to The Great Square, the four-year-old mare overcoming a 20-metre handicap in an impressive victory.
Leviathan owner Mick Boots will play a significant role in the Queensland Constellations and he had a pair of winners at Menangle on Saturday night that will potentially be players in the carnival.
Bluto from the Brad Hewitt stable is a quality four-year-old that was back in winning form when leading throughout in a 1.51.4 mile from gate seven, securing his first win since the Wagga Cup back in March.
The KerryAnn Morris-trained Minos is another Boots-owned pacer that will be trucking north, with the three-year-old likely to be a player in all the Derbies following a dominant victory on Saturday.
Boots also has a share in the Jason Grimson-trained speedster Hi Manameisjeff who took his Menangle record to 11 from 12 with a 1.50.7 free for all victory, with the Sunshine Sprint his main aim.
At 'The Creek' on Saturday night, Sure Thing Captain returned from a spell in fine fettle, overcoming the outside second line with an effortless victory, indicating his run at The Rising Sun is on target.
Talented trotter Gus was in winning form again, with the five-year-old having his first target in the upcoming DJA Series.
Major Hot scored without raising a sweat in the closing race of the night, the Nathan Purdon trained three-year-old never out of second gear with an easy victory, with the gelding on a Derby path.
THE WILDCARD
Proven to be hotly contested since its recent inception, there were four heats of the Showcase series held at Redcliffe last Wednesday night.
Restricted to those horses that contested or were nominated for show racing at Nanango, Toowoomba, Gympie or Kingaroy, there were four full fields at acceptance time.
Lola Weidemann secured victory in a pair of the heats, while it was Dayl March and Ricky Gordon that were able to train the other two winners.
Kiss On The Beach was able to step straight to the front for trainer Ricky Gordon and driver Mat Neilson in the opening heat and from the front was never headed in claiming the two metre margin over a game Little Bolt who had faced a 30-metre handicap.
Artful Maid, who won the 2022 Showcase Final, was able to progress to her third Showcase Final by finishing in third place.
Despite facing a 30-metre handicap in the second heat, it was Misty Creek for Weidemann and Nathan Dawson that proved too strong, rolling around to sit parked and grind out the victory, pulling clear in the closing stages.
Amanda Payne aboard Miss Pau for Ricky Gordon held on for second after trying to lead throughout and the Joedy Whitaker-trained and reined Mach Brilliance held on for third.
Heat three went to the Dayl March-trained Bonnies Cam, defying the 30-metre handicap with a strong run wide off the track to score in a smart 1.58.3 rate.
Finishing fourth behind his full-sister Artful Maid in the 2022 Showcase Final, March will have the two-prong attack in the 2024 Final.
One Last Roll for Matthew Clayton and Pete McMullen held second, with the Weidemann-trained Delightful Rainbow holding on for third.
In the final heat, Keayang Tara proved too good for her rivals, overcoming the 20-metre impost to defeat the Brad Millard-trained Letterkenny Boy, with Weidemann securing at least four runners for the Final with Cheddar Made Beta holding third with Nathan Dawson in the bike.
The Showcase Final will be held this Friday night as part of the Patrons Purse meeting.
THIS WEEK
A different week ahead with Redcliffe hosting one of their premier meetings of the year with the Patrons Purse scheduled for this Friday night.
The Final of the Showcase series along with the three-year-old sales Final complement the four and five-year-old Group event.
Albion Park will host 11 races on Tuesday afternoon and then on Saturday night, the Lucky Creed shapes as a tantalising pre-carnival evening with Leap To Fame and Swayzee both appearing in the nominations.
The first-round heats of the Darrel Alexander Memorial Trotting Championship will also be held.
At Marburg on Sunday, the Western Star will be held with the $22,000 feature highlighting Marburg for the Queensland Constellations.
