Catch up on the week's harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
“Shane Graham, he’s got four, his legion of followers, oh they’re in raptures here, it’s a Shane Graham-a-thon,” caller Chris Barsby proclaimed as Thetorque Majority crossed the line in first place.
It proved to be a highly successful night in the sulky for Shane on Friday at Albion Park, going on to claim five winners, with four of those trained by his father Wayne Graham.
The night started with victory in the opening race when the pair combined with the well-supported favourite, Braventreacherous, who was able to find the front and lead throughout in the first of the QBRED Triad heats for two-year-old colts and geldings.
Taking the reins aboard the Donny Smith-trained Bronski Zulu in race three, Shane was able to deliver an upset.
With no drive in race four, Shane handled Hay Bale Hustler in the first of the three-year-old fillies heats, again for Wayne and from inside the second line, the filly was shuffled to three back along the inside when the field sorted positions.
Forcing into the clear at the 500 metre mark, Shane went into attack mode with the filly who sprinted sharply, reeled the leaders in and pulled clear to victory for her second win of the season.
Bringing up the quartet in race six, it was a tough and authoritative victory with Thetorque Majority, the gelding sitting parked and scoring over French Fries, stopping the clock in a 1.55 mile.
In race 10, Wayne had another favourite in The Torque Effect and again, Shane delivered the victory, leading throughout on the filly and holding off a fast-finishing Alice Rhayne Bow.
By claiming the fourth win of the night, Wayne's four winners came in each division, meaning next Saturday he will have runners in all four divisions of the Triad Finals for two and three-year-olds.
It was the second time that Shane has driven five winners on a card, having previously achieved a handful back in December of 2021.
Moving to 61 winners for the season, Shane remains on target to register a 100 win season for the 18th time in his career, having surpassed 3,000 career wins last season, a figure reached by just four Queensland based-drivers.
A ten-time Group 1 winner, Shane will head into this week’s QBRED Finals with drives in all four divisions as he looks to build that tally.
THE BAD
The number 13 may be an unlucky number for some, however it proved to be fortuitous for Doug Hewitt on Friday night with My Ultimate Buddha.
Starting from inside the second line, the leader went off-stride at the mile and Hewitt was able to squeeze off and get to the front with 1500 metres to travel.
Controlling the tempo with opening splits of 30.6 seconds and then 31.6 seconds, he dialled it up down the back stretch in 28.4 seconds, as Quik Change who had been parked started to yield ground.
Early leader Gleneagle Vee Cee looked the only threat, but it was only briefly as My Ultimate Buddha darted home in 27.6 seconds to post a six metre winning margin, with Blackjack Crippa following the inside to grab third placing.
It was Hewitt’s 13th Albion Park winner for the season, who is in his maiden season of training since relocating north.
He has also earned a start in the QBRED Triad Final for the three-year-old colts and geldings with My Ultimate Buddha.
Having contested many of the main features already this season, My Ultimate Buddha will now head to another big one, lining up in Saturday’s Group 1 Triad Final, becoming Hewitt’s first Group 1 runner as a trainer.
Hewitt was able to qualify a second runner through to the Triad Finals with Our Ultimate Queen finishing fourth in her three-year-old fillies heat to also progress to the Group 1 Final.
With My Ultimate Buddha sired by Lazarus, Hewitt was able to rise off the canvas himself after a tough week of illness to make it three winners in two days following a double at Redcliffe on Thursday.
THE WILDCARD
Another to be contesting their first Group 1 this Saturday night will be driver Layne Dwyer, who was able to guide Ideal Desire to victory in her three-year-old fillies’ heat.
Forced to sit parked outside the leader Firebolt after sliding across from gate three, Dwyer was able to control the tempo from the breeze.
With 600 metres left to travel, Ideal Desire moved up to put the pressure on the leader and with 400 metres to travel, had worked to the front, taking control of the race.
Kicking clear between turns, the filly had established a break on her opposition, and she was able to respond to Dwyer’s urgings an maintain the margin on the chasing pack, posting an eight-and-a-half metre advantage as the crossed the line.
The win also gave the American Ideal filly her second win QBRED bonus for connections, taking her record to four wins and two minor placings in 12 career starts.
Dwyer will now have the choice of drives in his maiden attempt at Group 1 level, having earlier in the evening qualified Hell Of A Hand in her three-year-old fillies’ heat.
Settling in the running line from her second line draw, the filly was strong to the line in the closing stages to grab second placing behind Hay Bale Hustler and stamp her ticket to QStars night.
Not committing to either runner, it will be a wait and see approach from Dwyer as he weighs up the opportunity.
“I will wait and see when the draws come out,” Dwyer said.
“Ideal Desire goes nicely and probably is more versatile, but if Hell Of A Hand were to get the draw for a soft trip, she can finish off a solid speed and she would be a threat.”
THE MILESTONE
Only two horses have ever broken 1.50 under race conditions at 'The Creek' and on Saturday night those two finished first and second over the line.
In winning his sixth Albion Park race from 12 attempts, the Cristina Monte-trained Jimartee created history, becoming the only horse to have bettered 1.50 on two occasions.
Taking a 1.49.6 mark in the Sunshine Sprint consolation three weeks back, the seven-year-old made a one-act affair of the Vale Cobbity Classic Free For All in leading throughout.
Ricky Thurlow took the drive on the gelding and from gate two.
Turn It Up sped across from gate seven with his usual jet-like start.
Thurlow held position and quickly sent Jimartee forward and with 1400 metres to travel had the gelding in front.
Posting the opening quarter in 27.8 seconds, the tempo remained solid through a 28.4 second split as Blacksadance moved up to apply the pressure to the leader.
The foot never eased off the accelerator as the third split appeared in an eye-watering 26.3 seconds as the fastest two horses on the clock around 'The Creek' went stride for stride, neither prepared to give an inch.
Turning for home, Jimartee was able to pull clear of a game Blacksadance, who was huge in defeat to be almost four metres away, with Turn It Up holding on for third, the closing split in 27.4 seconds for an overall rate of 1.49.8.
Starting his career in New South Wales with James Rattray, the gelding has always been a talented type and as a two-year-old won at Group level in a Breeders Challenge event, a race where Send It finished in sixth place.
Following a stint with Noel Hatcher, Jimartee was sent north, a move that has seen the seven-year-old back over $75,000 this season in his 12 starts.
The gelding will have one more start before going for a spell.
THIS WEEK
With Redcliffe out of action on Thursday as their lighting project takes shape, their meeting has been transferred to Albion Park.
That will see 'The Creek' race four times this week, with an eight race card on Tuesday to start the week.
With the Thursday afternoon meeting and then a Friday night program on the agenda, Saturday will be QStars night as four Group 1 Triad Finals take centre stage.
Along with the four Group 1 events, there will also be four Group 2 events with Triad Finals for four-year-old mares, four-year-old entires and geldings along with mixed-sex trotting Finals for two-year-olds and three-year-olds.
Redcliffe will host two meetings for the week, with Wednesday a later start time to accommodate the lighting works and round out the week with a Sunday night fixture.
