Catch up on the week's harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
TORO LOCO
A $15,000 purchase from the inaugural Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale has provided Ben and Tamara Battle with their biggest thrill in the sport.
Resuming from a spell in the preview with a late charging victory, the son of Sportswriter was the recipient of a bold move from Nathan Dawson that paid the ultimate dividend on Saturday night.
Making a powerful burst at the 600 metre point, Dawson set Toro Loco alight and was able to reach the front as the field turned off the back stretch, with Battle not confident his gelding could hold on.
“He is probably not noted for being the most overly brave horse out there, he is only a real little fella, but he has a good turn of foot,” trainer Ben Battle said.
“But, Nathan just sums it up so perfectly every time, he had to move when he did and make a call and more often than not, he makes the right one."
It proved to be a winning move with Toro Loco holding on to post a winning margin over Fakistra, with Taking A Punt running into third.
Moving to Queensland in 2019 from the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, the Battles are now firmly entrenched Queenslanders.
They purchased a property at Mutdapilly and are working hard to establish the farm, growing their stable and client base as well as marrying and starting a family all in the past five years.
“This is what you dream of, you get up every morning and work your backside off," Ben Battle said.
“The feeling is pretty surreal to be honest.”
The couple’s first son Bailey is responsible for naming the gelding.
He is an avid fan of monster trucks and El Toro Loco is the name of Bailey’s favourite.
INTER WATCH
The local contingent completed their Inter Dominion preparations across the past week, with a Wednesday afternoon trial and a Saturday night second placing the only public appearance from the Queensland contingent contesting 'ID24'.
Hot And Treacherous will not make the trip to Newcastle, despite his ranking of 20 having the gelding a guaranteed position in the series.
From barrier four, Hot And Treacherous was sent straight to the front on Saturday night, running the field through a 56.2 second opening half.
With the pressure applied through a sizzling third split of 26.9 seconds, he was able to dig in for the fight and repel the challengers with a two-metre margin in hand on the line, stopping the clock in a career best 1.51.1.
Jimartee, who had climbed to a ranking of 15, was charging home for second place.
Jimartee ran his own last 800 metres in a slick 53.98 seconds and will head into the 'Inters' with three eye-catching runs against his name.
Gus secured his trip south for the series alongside 'Golden Ticket' holding stablemate Blacksadance after an impressive trial hit-out on Wednesday.
Taking on some restricted class pacers in the trial, Pete McMullen sent the five-year-old to the front and kept the speed on with a 56 second flat last 800 metre sectional in a dominant performance.
Still appearing to have plenty left on the wire, the 1.54.9 rate was just outside the trotters track record held by Is That A Bid.
Gus, Blacksadance and Jimartee are the only Queensland-trained horses to accept for the Newcastle first round heats.
As many as five trotters are in position to contest the series, however for varying reasons, will not be a part of the series.
1-2-3 DANIEL SON
Taking eight horses to Marburg last Thursday, Dan Russell made the most of the opportunity, preparing a winning treble which included a winning trifecta in the third race of the day.
With Pete McMullen engaged to drive Sporty Azz, the seven-year-old was driven hard off the arm to find the front over the longer 2200 metre trip.
With strong pressure applied, McMullen took the trail and soon after was shuffled to three back along the inside and the race favourite was looking in danger of never finding space on the tight, no-passing lane, Marburg circuit.
Russell’s other runners had pressed forward, with the Adam Richardson-driven Tulhurst Smoocher finding the front and She Owns The Day finding space to drop in behind the new leader and establish a big break in the pack.
McMullen somehow found space to ease into the running line and then squeezing between runners found space to reel them in over the closing stages, providing Russell with his first ever training trifecta.
In the following race, Dannielle McMullen made it a double for Russell with Get Me Outta Here leading throughout.
The treble was completed one race later, again with an all the way victory, this time by Getaloadathisbro with Pete McMullen securing a driving double.
The first trifecta came eight years and one day following Russell’s first ever training double, which was recorded at Inverell on November 20, 2016.
THIS WEEK
Racing kicks off with a seven race card at 'The Creek' on Monday afternoon for the first of seven straight days of racing action in the South East.
Albion Park also host a nine race card on Wednesday night which will be complemented by a Friday afternoon fixture and then the Saturday metropolitan meeting.
Marburg will host each of the other three meetings for the week, with seven races on Tuesday afternoon, Thursday afternoon and wrap the week with a Sunday afternoon fixture.
