Look ahead to this weekend's harness racing action in our weekly preview, thanks to Darren Clayton.
A total of 17 races will be decided locally at 'The Creek' across Friday and Saturday, however some of the Queensland’s best pacers will be performing in the southern states.
With a bevy of Group 1 action at Melton, all eyes will be on the champion Leap To Fame who will be out to add to his wonderful career and a win in the Victoria Cup will see him elevated to a unique position.
Preux Chevalier is currently the only horse that has won the Victoria Cup, Hunter Cup, Miracle Mile and Inter Dominion, with a win for 'Larry' on Saturday night seeing the five-year-old join ‘The Frog’ as the only pacers to win these elite races.
'LARRY' AND 'MIKI' IN MELBOURNE
Leap To Fame and Aardie B Miki will fly the Queensland flag as they contest the Victoria Cup and Victoria Oaks respectively at Melton on Saturday night.
After landing barrier three, Leap To Fame looks to get every chance to redeem his narrow defeat in the race last year where he was just a head from the winner after being forced to work hard in the run.
Warming up for the 2240 metre Cup with a dominant performance in last week’s Smoken Up Sprint, the increase in distance is a huge plus for Leap To Fame.
Mach Dan lands gate one and was the first to the poles last week before releasing Leap To Fame and a similar pattern will likely unfold this week, with those runners positioned on the inside holding the advantage in chasing the placings.
Pete McMullen has also picked up a drive in the Victoria Cup as he is set to partner the last horse to defeat Leap To Fame - District Attorney - for Jason Grimson.
Oaks heat winner, Aardie B Miki, has also drawn well in gate three (two if the emergency is not required), however the Chantal Turpin-trained filly has the speedy Coastal Babe directly to her inside.
Coastal Babe was the winner of the second Oaks heat, leading throughout from gate two and with the early advantage currently sits as an odds-on favourite.
That will provide Pete McMullen with a possible conundrum as to where he positions early with Aardie B Miki to optimise her winning chances.
Does he run the arm and try to get ahead, or does he try to force the issue early and hope he can generate enough space to drop in for the trail?
MENANGLE MUSINGS
Daren and Angus Garrard continue their Menangle campaign and will be represented by Regazzo Di Tilly in race one and Classie Washington in race three.
Classie Washington will contest the Les Chant free for all where he will start from outside the front line in gate 10 over the 2300 metre trip, but he should appreciate some of the stronger opposition he has met in recent starts heading to Melton to tackle the Victoria Cup.
SEMI-FINAL ACTION
Semi-finals of the NSW Breeders Challenge will also be held where Grant Dixon will play a strong hand in each of the two-year-old colts and geldings semi's.
Dixon’s two runners met in the first round of the series at Newcastle where Path To Greatness was successful in an all the way victory with Robbie Morris driving.
In the first semi (race four), Josh Gallagher has been handed the reins on the unbeaten Path To Greatness from barrier seven, with Robbie Morris electing to stick with Hezatreacherous from his own 'Lucky Lodge' barn.
Morris will then hop aboard the Protostar winner, Fate Awaits, in the second semi (race six) for Dixon, with the four-time winner drawn perfectly in gate two and looking to go one better than his last start second behind Path To Greatness.
Race seven is the second of the fillies semi’s where Gemma Hewitt has The Lady Dior lining up from gate six following her heat win at Menangle when leading throughout in a career best 1.52.8 from her six starts.
Will Rixon will take the reins on the filly, having partnered with the daughter of For A Reason when finishing fifth at Newcastle in the first round of the Breeders Challenge series.
'CREEK' WATCH
The last race on Saturday night will see the excitement machine Chynchilla chasing her fourth successive win, the speedy mare having won seven of her past eight starts.
With wins in 1.51.6 and 1.51.2 at her past two starts, the four-year-old has quickly stamped herself as the best open class mare in the Sunshine State.
Forcing her way to the front at each of the past two victories, the same pattern should emerge on Saturday, where despite the wide gate, it looks a case of time and margins please judge.
GET ON
Master Charles can get some money in the pocket in race two, with the Peter Greig-trained five-year-old a winner in three of his past five starts and last week was not far from the winner where he tackled the 2138 metre trip.
A return to the sprint trip from gate one looks ideal.
