Look ahead to this weekend's harness racing action in our weekly preview, thanks to Darren Clayton.
Night two of the Queensland Summer Harness Season for 2024 will heat up the track this Saturday night at Albion Park with several feature races to be decided.
Included on the bumper card will be a pair of Inter Dominion Golden Tickets on offer to the winner of the Queensland Cup and Trotters Spring Sprint.
Each winner will jump the ranking order to be guaranteed a spot in 'ID24'.
With previews of the Sunshine Stars Classics on Friday night, Saturday night’s feature meeting from headquarters and a return to racing at Warwick's Allman Park on Sunday, there is no shortage of harness racing action across the weekend.
BLACKSADANCE TO HOT STEP
The Albion Park record holder at the mile, Blacksadance, has won 27 races and has stake earnings in excess of $400,000.
However, in a case of what might have been, the now seven-year-old has been plagued by bad barriers in major races throughout his career.
In last week’s Be Good Johnny Sprint, a race he has won previously in 2022 - when drawing gate two - the Chantal Turpin-trained pacer drew outside the second line.
Rattling home wide off the track to grab second placing, it was a flashing light run and following a favourable barrier for this week’s Group 2 Queensland Cup, the gelding opened at the top of the market.
Resuming from a spell in last week’s event, Blacksadance should take good benefit from the run and with the improved gate for this week, it can be expected that he will be driven aggressively in the early stages.
With Turn It Up landing gate two, the Shane Graham-trained veteran looks the early leader and over the middle trip, releasing the speed and taking a trail looks the likely scenario.
That would leave Jimartee in a potentially awkward position, the 'ID24' hopeful starting from gate one, which would leave Ricky Thurlow with some decisions as to how he can find open space.
Always Smokin was a scratching last week, owing to a minor temperature, but looks set to line up this week, with Nathan Dawson handed the reins on the four-year-old, who has been in great touch following the Queensland Constellations.
Curly James will line up from inside the second line for Jason Grimson and Jack Callaghan.
Curly James might be looking to get off the inside at the start, the likely map burying him should they opt to stay on the inside.
A last start second in the Victoria Cup behind Swayzee keeps the six-year-old firmly in contention, where he positions is the vital piece of the puzzle.
CHYNCHILLA CHASING REDEMPTION
Last week’s Queen Of The Creek appeared on paper to be a battle in two and that evaluation was exactly how it played out on track.
When Chyhnchilla worked around from the second line and took over from Aardie B Miki, it appeared a bold move from Pete McMullen to hand up the lead.
With the two pulling clear of their rivals to fight it out for the Queen’s crown, it proved an inch-perfect drive from McMullen.
Aardie B Miki grabbed Chynchilla in the last strides to claim victory by a head margin.
While Aardie B Miki will step back against her own age on Saturday, Chyhnchilla will chase redemption and victory in the Group 3 Forever Gold Mares Open.
With an improved gate for this week’s feature, the Nathan Dawson-driven and Donny Smith-trained mare will once again look to dictate proceedings from barrier two.
A pair of Jason Grimson-trained mare’s will be out to deny the Dawson and Smith combination from victory, with Tay Tay and Illavabubbles trucking in from Sydney to contest the Group 3 event.
Both mares have gone head-to-head in their past six starts, contesting the same races which has seen them compete in three states in those six starts.
Tay Tay looks set to provide the test for Chynchilla and has raced well at 'The Creek' previously where her record sits at two wins and two placings in five starts.
TROTTERS GOLDEN TICKET UP FOR GRABS
Royal Dan resumes from a spell in the Trotters Spring Sprint for Jason Grimson and victory will ensure the five-year-old a spot in the Inter Dominion Trotters Championship which starts later this month in New South Wales.
Ranked 19 in the latest rankings, Royal Dan is no stranger to Albion Park, having won a heat of the DJA Championship during the Queensland Constellations, before a hoof issue saw him scratched from the Final.
With good gate speed and a career best 1.52.1, the gelding opened the pipes with a sharp trial at Menangle in preparation for his return to the racetrack.
Victree Hill, who was successful in last week’s feature, has drawn awkwardly on the inside of the second line for this week, while Top Of The Moment, who has a brilliant turn of hoof when saved, could be the knockout hope from his inside gate.
GET ON THE GRASS
The Darling Downs Harness Racing Club will host a meeting on the grass at Warwick’s Allman Park on Sunday.
The feature race will be the Warwick Gold Cup where Our Major Day will look to repeat his Cup victory from 2020, the last time that a TAB meeting was held at Warwick.
Old Luke, winner of the Gatton Grass Cup in August, is one of three Mitch Turnbull-trained pacers in the race, while Targaryen for Chloe Butler will likely run favourite from outside the front line.
