Catch up on the week's harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
Jason Grimson produced a huge upset at Redcliffe on Friday when District Attorney was able to out sprint Leap To Fame to secure the Patron's Purse.
A relative newcomer to his stable, the five-year-old was a first-up winner for Grimson in the Truer Memorial 11 days prior when driven by Jack Callaghan.
Starting from gate three in the Patron's Purse, Callaghan drove District Attorney hard off the arm and was made to work to get across Aardies Flash before then handing over once Grant Dixon and Leap To Fame came forward.
With a steady opening half of 61 seconds, Dixon started to dial up the speed through a 27.5 second third split.
Turning for home, District Attorney, who had sat on the back of the champion, was able to peel off his back and sprint home to grab victory by a head margin, with Don Lou holding on for third after working in the run.
While the victory ended the winning streak of Leap To Fame, it took District Attorney’s record to 12 wins and 13 minors from just 31 starts.
The drive from Callaghan was inch perfect, getting across early and then making his move at the right time to leave a silence over 'The Triangle' with the victory.
A seven-time Group 1-winning reinsman, Callaghan had never driven under race conditions previously at Redcliffe.
His first drive came in race one on Friday night, which incidentally was also a win aboard Saifa, quickly taking his record to 100 per cent when recording the double with District Attorney.
While he scored the upset on Friday, Callaghan was on the receiving end of an upset on Saturday night when taking his first ever race drive aboard Swayzee in the Lucky Creed.
Just like Leap To Fame, his brother Swayzee found the front early and turned for home looking to hold on for the victory.
And, just like it was 24 hours previous, it was a Jason Grimson-trained runner causing an upset, this time it was Nerano defeating his stable mate Swayzee by out sprinting him to the wire.
The win of Nerano was the first of a winning treble for Grimson, starting his Constellations raid with a bang, as Royal Dan and Tay Tay also claimed victories later in the night.
Royal Dan continued his great form since joining the Grimson stable, the square gaiter claiming a track-record equalling victory in the first-round heats of the Darrell Alexander Trotting Championship.
While Tay Tay suggested she will provide a great one-two combination for the stable in the Group 1 The Golden Girl later in the carnival alongside Aardies Express.
Making a lightning move with 1000 metres to travel, after a sizzling 25.7 second opening quarter by Diamond Shooz, Tay Tay took control to pull clear through a third split of 27.9 seconds and a closing quarter of 27.5 seconds to stop the clock in a 1.51.3 rate.
STAR GAZING
Some of the biggest names for the 2024 Constellations were beaten across the weekend, adding an interesting element to the month ahead.
Leap To Fame was gunned down by District Attorney on Friday night at Redcliffe, while less than 24 hours later, Swayzee was also beaten when Nerano was able to out-sprint his stable mate to score.
At Menangle, Captains Knock was having his last hit-out before the trip north, and the Brad Hewitt-trained four-year-old could only manage fifth behind his stable mate Taipo.
Further south at Melton, Rockinwithattitude was having her second run back from a spell when finishing fourth behind Virginia Clowers.
That winner, trained by Brent Lilley, has now won five of her past six starts and looks set to head to Queensland to contest The Great Square where another showdown with Rockinwithattitude and potentially Shes Ruby Roo, who was scratched from that same race on Saturday night.
Bay Of Biscay was first-up from a spell and the Clayton Tonkin-trained three-year-old started favourite when finishing third behind the filly, Tilly Jayne,
Also, at Melton, the Kyle Marshall-trained four-year-old Son Of Mac did his Constellations prospects no harm when overcoming gate six to led throughout in a five-metre victory.
John Justice is heading back to Queensland with his free for all square gaiter Mufasa Metro and stable mate Hatchback might just get to make the trip following his fortuitous victory in the Aldebaran Park Trot, defeating Hesallmuscle.
Back at Menangle, Caligula dominated his rivals in posting a 32-metre victory in smart time, the Blake Fitzpatrick-trained eight-year-old potentially eyeing off the two main trotting features.
THE WILDCARD
After three editions of The Western Star at Marburg, the Mark Rees and Narissa McMullen combination have won the event twice following the latest running.
Successful in the inaugural event in 2022 with Woodlea Diego, the Rees and McMullen combination struck at Marburg on Sunday when four-year-old mare Madrigal was able to sail home over the top of the opposition to claim the 2024 renewal.
After drawing the outside of the second line, the mare was going to need everything to go her way around the tight track and once the field sorted out their positions, Madrigal was one out and four back in the running line as Tomahawk Bart set the pace in front.
Sitting at the rear with 500 metres to run, McMullen made her move wider on the track and swinging the home bend five wide, the four-year-old was eating into the margin.
Sprinting hard down the short straight, Madrigal was able to arrive in time to post victory by a head over Magicol Ideal who gained a late split to grab second, narrowly ahead of the leader Tomahawk Bart.
Owned by Rees' mother Barbara, Madrigal has been a great purchase since arriving as a maiden two-year-old late in the 2022 season.
The latest win took her record to eight wins and a further 10 placing with $77,000 in stake earnings in the past 18 months.
McMullen has developed a strong affinity with the mare, driving the daughter of super sire Captaintreacherous in seven of those victories.
Coming off his most successful season when recording 38 victories, Rees has put the polish on 10 winners thus far in the 2024 season, Madrigal leading the way by both wins and stake earnings of his stable this term.
THE MILESTONE
Congo Line set a new personal best in victory at Albion Park on Saturday night when sailing home to victory for trainer and driver Matt Elkins, rating 1.51.5 in claiming the 12th victory of his career.
Taking over the gelding earlier this year owing to his father Greg’s accident, Matt has now claimed a 50 per cent winning strike rate with the gelding, recording three wins in six starts.
On Saturday, Congo Line was perfectly positioned in the run by Elkins, finding the one-by-one trail from barrier four as a speed duel in front set up a sizzling tempo.
Luvbite was pressured for the front and the opening quarters were recorded in 27.1 and 27.9 seconds before a third split in 27.8 seconds.
Angling Congo Line wider around the home bend, the seven-year-old was able to reel in the leaders and claim a two metre winning margin, with the final quarter the slowest of the race in 28.8 seconds.
With the victory, Congo Line has snuck into the top 10 best performers for Elkins by stakes earnings, picking up $25,245 in earnings in just six starts.
On top of the list is Paravani who sits just $329 clear of Big Skewy as Elkins' best stake earners, while Congo Line becomes his quickest performer with the 1.51.5 victory on Saturday, eclipsing the previous best of 1.52.2 of Big Skewy.
A former stable favourite of Elkins' before his sale to North America, Big Skewy has been performing strongly since his export and on Friday equalled a track record at Plainridge when pacing a mile in 1.49.2.
THIS WEEK
All eyes will focus on Redcliffe on Saturday night, when the Peninsula club hosts its biggest night of the year.
The Redcliffe Gold Cup, Oaks, Derby and Sales Series Final are all down for decision, with the Derby and Oaks sure to be highly competitive with huge depth in the nominations.
That will be one of four meetings at Redcliffe for the week, with the regular Wednesday and Thursday fixtures joined by a Sunday night meeting.
Albion Park will host the two meetings for the week, with 10 races scheduled for Tuesday and a night meeting on Friday.
