Look ahead to this weekend's harness racing action in our weekly preview, thanks to Darren Clayton.
The Starlights begins on Saturday night with the Be Good Johnny Sprint complementing the Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale Classic Finals.
After claiming trotting success across the Tasman with Gus in the Dominion Trot, Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen will turn to The Janitor to continue his ascent in the pacing ranks as a short-priced favourite in the Be Good Johnny.
Trotting action on Friday will see the first-round heats for the Darrell Alexander Trotting Championship with the Group 2 Final to be conducted on November 29.
GET ON
Albion Park on Saturday night - Kiki Meister.
The Rickie Alchin-trained pacer tackles the Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale Classic for two-year-old colts and geldings off the back of an impressive heat win.
Leading throughout to win first-up from a spell in the quickest of the heats, he snares gate one for the decider.
THE JANITOR TO CLEAN THEM UP AGAIN
The Janitor will chase his first open age feature trophy after some impressive performances this campaign.
A winner in six of his past nine starts, each of the three defeats have been full of merit.
He was the runner-up in both The Rising Sun and the Kevin Thomas when doing a mountain of work in each.
The only other ‘miss’ was his enormous performance in the Len Smith Mile.
Working forward from gate seven last start, The Janitor sat parked at the 2138 metre journey and pulled clear for a dominant victory, highlighted by closing quarters of 27.5 and 27.4 seconds.
Drawn gate four in this week’s sprint lead up, noted speedster Turn It Up will start from gate two, with Birkirkara in gate one.
Turn It Up was held out by Aroda last start, just the third time in 57 front line appearances at Albion Park that the gelding has not found the front.
From gate two, he looks to have the speed to get across Birkirkara, which should allow Pete McMullen and The Janitor to balance up early and then press forward.
That could leave Birkirkara needing some luck.
The Jack Butler-trained gelding finished runner-up to The Janitor at his last start as he too continues to work his way through the grades.
Wisper A Secret looks the only other threat to an upset.
However, the stablemate of The Janitor looks set to need some miracles after drawing inside the second line.
DJA UP FOR GRABS
The Group 2 Darrell Alexander Trotting Championship will be without interstate interest in 2025.
However, such has been the growth of the square gait in Queensland, this year’s edition is arguably the strongest on record.
Switching calendar positions to sit as part of The Starlights, 25 trotters will be chasing the Group 2 trophy on offer alongside $54,000 in stakes on November 29.
The opening heat does not boast any last start winners and a case could be made for most of the field.
Golden Sunset will need to overcome the 20-metre handicap for the series and has placed in two runs back from a spell following her ninth placing in the Inter Dominion Final behind Arcee Phoenix.
Finishing third in a new track record set by Not As Promised when resuming, the Shawn Grimsey-trained mare was second at her last start behind subsequent Dominion Trot champion Gus.
Shane Graham will take the reins on the eight-year-old mare.
Another mare, Izarra, has strong claims for victory.
A winner of the Redcliffe Cup back in June, the Jack Butler-trained five-year-old resumes from a spell and looked sharp in a recent trial in readiness for her return.
Despite beating far less experienced performers, the way the 56.1 second closing 800 metres was produced, suggests the mare will be ready to fire first-up.
Another runner that will be first-up in the opening round is the Grant Dixon-trained Taylad To Use who looks well placed from the front tape.
The six-year-old has not been seen in public since finishing third behind Aldebaran Acrux on Inter Dominion Final night.
Sheza Chance will start off the front line and will be hard to beat in the second heat off the back of four successive victories.
With regular driver Angus Garrard in New Zealand, Tom Callaghan has been handed the reins on the mare.
The well-travelled Mufasa Metro has been handicapped on 20 metres.
Despite a wonderful career record, the seven-year-old is yet to win at 13 furlongs, which is the distance for the opening round heats along with the Final.
Hide And Seek will also start from the 20-metre tape throughout the series.
The enigmatic gelding made a costly error last start that ended his chances.
A winner at this distance from 20 metres the start prior when finding the front soon after the start, at his best, the Shannon Price-trained gelding will be a big factor.
QUEEN TIDE TO SURGE
Unbeaten in two career starts, the Ben Crosby-trained Queen Tide looks the hardest to beat in the $125,000 Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale Classic race for the two-year-old fillies.
A $28,000 purchase from the 2024 sales, the filly stopped the clock in 1.56.5 on debut against older horses.
Finding the front in last week’s prelude from barrier two, Nathan Dawson was able to nurse the daughter of Downbytheseaside to victory over Summer Punch, with Girl Power grabbing third.
With the same six fillies to do battle in this week’s event, Queen Tide will start from barrier one, with Summer Punch and Girl Power starting from gates four and six, respectively.
Victory would provide Dawson with his second Sunshine Stars Classic, having partnered with the inaugural two-year-old colts and geldings champion, Toro Loco, in 2024.
