Catch up on the week’s harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
Or the Great?
In Gaelic, the name Darren translates to Great.
At Redcliffe last Wednesday, that was certainly the case for trainer Darren Weeks who was able to claim a winning double and a training trifecta from just four runners.
The first win came courtesy of the now four-year-old mare Miss Magdalena when she was never in danger leading throughout to claim her second career victory from just five starts.
Just one race later, and Weeks was able to claim a training trifecta thanks to a one-two-three finish from his three runners- Mullum Guido, Mullum Doc and Bejiggity.
Mullum Guido is a three-year-old son of Changeover owned and bred by Chris (CJ) Garrard and Alan Edge having just his third career start.
Showing promise despite some wayward tendencies at his first two outings, it proved to be third time lucky when the gelding was saved for one run.
Driven by Angus Garrard, Mullum Guido charged home down the outside rail to arrive in the last strides to claim the maiden-breaking victory.
Second place went to Mullum Doc, another three-year-old son of Changeover and owned in partnership by CJ Garrard.
Mullum Doc was bred and is raced and owned by CJ along with Nick Steele out of their former handy race mare Rowan Franco and is a full brother to the handy Nicks Pick.
Third went to Bejiggity, also a three-year old, with the daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven partnered by Weeks, landing her second placing from just two career starts.
Adding to the success of the night, both winners claimed a QBRED bonus for their connections.
Miss Magdalena secured her owner and breeder Kylie Rasmussen the $7,500 second win bonus by taking her record to five starts, recording two wins and one minor placing.
Mullum Guido was able to add some new year cheer with $14,000 jumping in the coffers of his owner’s courtesy of the first win bonus that has been increased from this season.
If the form holds from that race - which looks likely - both Mullum Doc and Bejiggity can be adding the first win bonus to their record as both are QBRED.
After a Darren trifecta, the trainer of the fourth placed runner? Darren McCall.
THE BAD
During the week Kay and Kevin Seymour through their Solid Earth Enterprise announced that Egmont Park Stud would be ceasing its commercial operation.
Egmont Park Stud has been a name synonymous with breeders Australia-wide with over four decades of breeding excellence.
In that time, the Seymours have bred a massive number of their own QBRED champions, with names that fill the honour rolls across many Queensland and Australia’s top races.
A lot of the success traces back to two extremely influential broodmares in Call Girl and Mistron.
The most recent start tracing back to Call Girl is the reigning Queensland Horse of the Year, Colt Thirty One.
It was only fitting that following the announcement late in the week, Colt Thirty One returned to winning form when successful at Menangle on Saturday night.
After going winless in season 2021, a change in scenery has proven the perfect tonic for the now seven-year-old when claiming victory over the 2300-metre trip with Robbie Morris taking the drive for trainer Grant Dixon.
As well as breeding and racing some of the best known and performed horses out of Queensland, the commercial side of the operation for the Seymours has seen Egmont Park also be the birthplace of some of the greatest horses to come out of Queensland.
Blacks A Fake (below), Be Good Johnny and Slipnslide all began their journey at the famed Darling Downs Nursery.
While it has also been the base for some terrific stallions, none more so than the breed shaping Fake Left, a stallion that left an incredible mark on the Australian and New Zealand breeding landscape.
Arriving in Queensland in 1993, Fake Left would go on to produce 955 starters for 809 individual winners, at an incredible 84.7%.
Other stallions to have spent time at Egmont Park include Vanston Hanover, Land Grant, Perfect Art, Hurrikane Kingcole, Ohoka Punter and Mr Feelgood.
It has also been the home for many Queensland Broodmare of the Year recipients, including the current holder of that title Washington Lass.
Although still maintaining some individual interests at Egmont Park, the commercial side will cease later this year, with a dispersal sale to coincide with the reduction.
THE MILESTONE
It may still be early in the season, but Ryan Veivers became the leading trainer in the state thanks to a winning double at The Creek on Thursday.
Starting the day, there were 12 trainers all sitting on three winners for 2022 with Veivers moving one win clear of Ben Battle to an outright lead after 13 days of the season.
It may have been a short-lived time leading the premiership, with Battle claiming the top spot by the completion of Friday afternoon, but by the end of the weekend, Veivers was holding second spot, just one win in arrears of Battle.
The first win came courtesy of Geldof in race four, the gelding sent forward to sit parked by driver Taleah McMullen, with a steady second quarter aiding his chances in the run.
Putting the leader Missinmemate away just before the home turn after eyeballing him throughout, Geldof proved too strong to pull clear for a strong victory.
With just one more runner engaged for the day, hopes were high of another victory with Glenledi Commander starting as the favourite from gate one.
Again, it was Taleah McMullen at the reins and with a steady first half of 61.2, the race was there for the taking.
After a 29.1 third split, the five-year-old only had to sprint the closing stages to claim victory by close to four metres for the third win of his career.
It was a winning day all round for Veivers, with Glenledi Commander owned in partnership by Ryan and good friend Mat Wright.
The pair also combined to claim victory in the fifth race when Keayang Sponge Bob, owned by Veivers and trained by Wright, was successful.
Sent to the front early before taking cover, the seven-year-old turned his form around by claiming his first victory since November 2019 and his first win in Queensland.
Claiming a career best of 68 wins in the 2021 season, the start of this year is a solid step to eclipsing the figure and setting a new benchmark.
With the next milestone the impending birth of Ryan and wife Dannielle’s first child, 2022 could prove to be a momentous year.
THE WILDCARD
Going within a whisker of claiming a quartet of victories, it was still a great day at the office for John McMullen at Albion Park on Tuesday, January 11, with a winning treble.
Still searching for his first win of the season heading into the meeting, McMullen was on the board for the year in the first race when the consistent Kapai broke through for a deserved win.
Approaching 12 months without a win, a change was needed, and Chris Petroff was asked to take the reins behind the enigmatic trotter.
Proving to gel nicely with the six-year-old through two requalifying trials, Petroff has been the regular driver of the gelding since, with his form suggesting a drought-breaking win was in store with placings in three of his previous four starts.
Safely into stride from the front-line handicap, Petroff controlled the speed from the front and cruised home for a comfortable victory, the fifth of his career.
Just one race later and McMullen was back in the winner’s enclosure, this time with Rancho Man who led throughout over the flying mile with Taleah McMullen taking the reins.
Holding the front through a 27.4 opening split, Rancho Man was able to fight all the way to the wire in claiming a three-metre victory.
The eighth win of his career was also a new personal best mile-rate, stopping the clock in 1.56.4.
In the fifth race of the day, Whata Sport was lining up for McMullen with daughter Taleah again with the drive.
Settled back in the pack, Whata Sport was the widest runner turning for home and loomed strongly, only for Warrawee Flyer to score by the narrowest of margins and deny Whata Sport a maiden-breaking win.
McMullen would have to wait until the last race of the day for the chance to snare his first Albion Park treble for some time.
Whata Roller was the runner and had the form to suggest a strong showing was imminent and the betting market reflected the assessment, being sent out as the race favourite.
The father/daughter combo were able to strike once again, with Taleah taking a trail from gate one and then landing the winning move up the passing lane to claim victory.
In claiming the third winner for the day, John McMullen claimed his first winning treble in close to 18 months, with the last time he prepared three winners on the same card coming back in May of 2020 at Marburg.
THIS WEEK
The week ahead in Queensland returns to a more regular scenario, with five race meetings to be held in the ‘traditional’ spots.
Albion Park starts the week with the Tuesday afternoon card and will host a Friday night fixture and the Saturday night metropolitan meeting.
Increased stakes will apply to Saturday night’s Qualifying Pace and Band 5 Pace.
Saturday night’s meeting will be another opportunity to gain points in the all-new Saturday’s Bonus Bonanza for the Monthly Mighty Mare.
The Mare who receives the most points after the last mare’s race will be crowned the Mighty Mare of the Month and the owner will receive a service to Burwood Stud’s Changeover and the trainer will also receive a $250 cash bonus.
After hosting the metropolitan fixture last weekend, Redcliffe is back with two meetings for the week on Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.
