Look ahead to this weekend's harness racing action in our weekly preview, thanks to Darren Clayton.
There is a big weekend of harness action ahead.
There is two meetings from Albion Park, a nine-race card at Marburg on Sunday and Queenslanders competing interstate and internationally on Friday.
GET ON
Studleigh Punter.
Albion Park on Saturday - race three, number one.
Has not been far away in recent starts behind some handy ones.
Lands the gate to take advantage of his great gate speed.
INTERSTATE HOPEFULS
Grant Dixon campaigned in New Zealand last Friday and this Friday night he will be at Melton chasing more feature race success.
The Dixon stable have qualified three runners for the Nutrien Sales Classic Finals.
Path To Greatness, Lucky Luda and Ruby Rules all progressed to their respective deciders following Albion Park heats on April 1.
Path To Greatness looks the best placed of the trio, snaring the coveted inside gate in the three-year-old colts and geldings event.
Runner-up in the New South Wales Derby, the gelding has lived in the shadow of his stablemate, Fate Awaits, until now.
This will be his chance to claim his own feature race victory.
As is the case with all the races on the night, it will be the all-conquering Emma Stewart stable that will be hardest to beat.
The Highlight Reel and Cigano both claimed their Melton heats impressively last week.
Lucky Luda makes the trip south for the two-year-old fillies division following a debut third in the mixed-sex heat at Albion Park and as the first filly past the post she gained a spot in the Final.
Drawn two off the second line in gate nine, the Rickie Alchin-trained Conciliate is unbeaten in two starts and has drawn ideally in gate one.
Frolicnearthesea for Stewart impressed on debut but has come up with gate six.
Ruby Rules will tackle the three-year-old fillies race following her third placing behind Fate Awaits in the mixed-sex event at Albion Park.
Ruby Rules has drawn nicely in gate two.
A two-time winning two-year-old, Ruby Rules will face stiff competition with Beach Diamond, Ivseenheavenslight, Peace Out and Ill Be Gone all appearing to have the right credentials to win the $125,000 feature.
REDEMPTION PROMISED
A starting error cost Not As Promised any chance at Cambridge last week, but connections will push on with his New Zealand campaign this week in Auckland.
Set to tackle the Lyell Creek, the Graham Dwyer-trained gelding will race the opposite direction for the first time on the Alexandra Park surface.
The early scratching of Kyvalley Hotspur reduces the field to just five starters, with Not As Promised set to move into barrier two following the scratching.
With Nathan Dawson returning to Brisbane following last week’s disappointment, it has opened the door for Kiwi reinsman Josh Dickie to take the reins.
After 19 starts for Dwyer, this will be the first time that a driver other than Dawson has sat behind the five-year-old.
GOLD TO CHASE AT MARBURG
A total of five heats of the Marburg Goldstrike will be held this Sunday with the first two placings in each heat progressing to the $35,000 Final on Easter Sunday.
With each heat split by ratings and all runners off the front tape, the Final will see handicaps implemented where 30 metres will be the back mark.
Lola Weidemann will line-up six runners across the heats.
Misty Creek is chasing a 20th career victory on a track where he has three wins and three placings from seven attempts.
Set to contest the fifth heat, if Weidemann can progress the six-year-old through to the decider, he will face a 30 metre tape in the final under the conditions.
A two-time winner from behind the tapes, it will be the Mark Rees-trained Madrigal that could prove hard to stop.
The mare boasts a two from two record from the tapes and is three from four around Marburg.
CHYNCHILLA DRAWS FIRST BLOW
The barrier draw is in the favour of Chynchilla and that will see the Donny Smith-trained mare start favourite in race six, the mares open pace, at 'The Creek' on Saturday night.
There has been much discussion over who is currently the best mare in the state.
Chynchilla and Rylee Rhayne Bow have been going head-to-head for the unofficial crown.
The pair have only met once.
Rylee Rhayne Bow took the decision in that meeting when Chynchilla was resuming from a spell.
When Chynchilla was second-up, the five-year-old was back in winning form, scoring a thumping win over the 2138 metre trip, highlighted by a 54.4 second closing half.
An eight-time winner at 'The Creek', Chynchilla will look to make the most of gate three and press forward to take control.
That should make the task even harder for Rylee Rhayne Bow who has drawn outside the front line in gate seven.
Completing a hat-trick of victories last start, the Pete McMullen-driven and Chantal Turpin-trained Rylee Rhayne Bow is closing in on $300,000 in career earnings and has been able to produce some sizzling sectionals at her past two victories.
If there is to be an upset, it could come from either of the other two Turpin mares in the race.
Miki Magic will be partnered by Turpin from gate five and Thesunandthemoon is starting from inside the second line for Tom Callaghan.
So, who is the best mare in Queensland?
