Look ahead to this weekend's harness racing action in our weekly preview, thanks to Darren Clayton.
The Queenslanders may have come up short last week on the interstate tracks, but once again there will be strong interest at Menangle on Saturday night.
Closer to home, Albion Park presents with a seven race card on Friday and a nine race program for the metropolitan fixture on Saturday night, starting at 6.07 pm.
Sunday afternoon at Marburg will be the annual Graham Harriott memorial day, headlined by the trotters discretionary, a race named to honour the former president of the Marburg club.
MENANGLE MAIL
Grant Dixon will head to Menangle where he will partner two of his star three-year-olds in the semi-finals of the New South Wales Breeders Challenge.
Air Express and Iron Clad will both be looking to cement their positions in the $150,000 Group 1 Finals with strong performances on Saturday night.
After three successive victories, including a heat of the Breeders Challenge last start in 1.53.0, Air Express has drawn favourably in gate three for the first semi-final, while his main dangers appear to have drawn wider.
Now a seven-time winner, Air Express has shown versatility and can look to make the most of his opportunities in progressing to the big decider.
His stable-mate, Iron Clad, has not been as fortunate with the barriers and will tackle the second semi-final from gate nine, should the emergency not be required.
A winner at his past two in succession, including the heat of this series at Newcastle, the second semi looks the stronger of the two qualifiers with Royal Cruiser in gate one for Bernie Hewitt and Force Full in gate three for Rickie Alchin both looking strong chances from their respective barriers.
Iron Clad won his Newcastle heat by a narrow margin, defeating a fellow Queensland-trained three-year-old, Dragon.
Prepared by Darrel Graham, Dragon will likely start from gate six and will be partnered by Angus Garrard who continues his Sydney campaign, which began back in early September.
Dragon worked hard in the run with his second placing behind Iron Clad and has since been back to Albion Park for a trial where he sat parked throughout.
FIVE FOR ANGUS
Angus and Daren Garrard’s Sydney sabbatical continues, with the pair combining with three runners, while Angus will have five drives in total for the night.
Regazzo Di Tilly will continue to chase a maiden Menangle victory in the opening race of the night, his efforts last week scuttled when starting from outside the front line.
Moving into gate six with the scratching of the Queensland Derby winner Major Hot, the four-year-old will face a stern test with a number of talented runners engaged.
Many in the race are chasing a return to winning form.
Catseye Beach has been performing well for the Garrards on the big Menangle deck and lines up after a win and a second placing in his past two starts, while Classie Washington will tackle the Kevin Robinson free for all, which is race three on the card.
Soap Opera is the last of Garrard’s five drives on the night, the Darren Weeks-trained filly chasing a berth in the Breeders Challenge Final for three-year-old fillies.
Drawn gate one in the second of the semis, the classy filly will get every opportunity from the pole to qualify for the $150,000 Final.
Just sneaking through to the semi following a fifth in the heat, the filly is already a feature race winner at Menangle following her win in the Breeders Blue Final on September 7.
'THE CREEK' CONSIDERATIONS
Race four on Saturday night at Albion Park looms as an intriguing contest for the trotters, with a pair of track record holders to do battle.
Is That A Bid holds the standing start track record over the 2138 metre journey, while Gus owns the benchmark for the 2647 metre standing start.
Saturday’s battle is over the longer 13 furlongs, the record owned by Gus, however the Chantal Turpin-trained speedster will be giving a 30 metre start to the Shannon Price-trained Is That A Bid under the discretionary conditions.
Gus has not raced since his unplaced effort in the Queensland Trotters Cup at Group 1 level during the Queensland Constellations, however the five-year-old has trialled on three occasions in readiness for the return.
Chantal Turpin will also take the reins on the gelding, with Pete McMullen having driven Gus at his past six starts.
Is That A Bid will be second up from a freshen, running second first-up over the mobile 2138 metre trip, producing some smart closing sectionals behind the in-form and dictating winner Hammer Son.
In the opening race of the night, Wasa Heat Seeker will be out to remain undefeated locally, the Mitchell Dawson-trained five-year-old winning all four starts since arriving in the Sunshine State.
A last-start winner in 1.50.2, this is by far the toughest assignment he has faced since arriving, but winning form is hard to knock.
The main danger looks to be the Turpin-trained Always Smokin, the four-year-old having been super consistent in recent months, however his last win was back in June.
GET ON
Looking to race six on Saturday night.
Aroda has now had three runs back from a spell.
Last week from outside the second line, his sectional performance was dazzling in defeat.
With a sub 54 second last 800 metres in that event, conditions look right for him to strike.
