Look ahead to this weekend's harness racing action in our weekly preview, thanks to Darren Clayton.
A strong Queensland contingent will converge on Menangle this Saturday night chasing qualification for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and New South Wales Oaks.
Originally slated for three runners in the Robin Dundee Stakes, Arrive has been scratched by Chantal Turpin, leaving Post Painter and Cool And Classy as the Queensland hopes.
Albion Park will host nine races on Friday night followed by a 10-race card Saturday night, with Marburg completing the week with nine races on Sunday afternoon.
FRIDAY FIND
Race four at Albion Park - Littlelioneljames. Drawn perfectly in gate one to utilise his gate speed.
SATURDAY SPECIAL
Race one at Albion Park - Great White. Recent form has been solid, including a win three starts back when drawn inside the second line.
MARBURG MAIL
Race six on Sunday - Saint Louis Beat. Will strip fitter following a first-up win and secures the perfect gate to rinse and repeat.
QUEENSLAND PAIR CHASING GROUP 1
Cool And Classy and Post Painter will line up in the Robin Dundee Stakes at Menangle on Saturday night hoping to qualify for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
The Chantal Turpin-trained Arrive was also in the field but unfortunately for connections was withdrawn on Thursday morning.
The Queensland pair will start side-by-side with the Grant Dixon-trained Cool And Classy in barrier three and the Gemma Hewitt-trained Post Painter in four.
Cool And Classy resumed from a spell last week with two runs in five days and won both in impressive fashion.
Breaking a track record first-up at Redcliffe, the four-year-old then scored an easy victory in a mare’s qualifier. That took her record to 14 wins in 24 starts.
Post Painter will be two weeks between runs heading into the Robin Dundee after a tough win on April 11.
Forced to sit parked, the six-year-old secured a fifth win this season when holding on to score by a half-head margin.
The field is stacked with quality, including the Group 1 champions Sugra Pie Honey (gate five), Lux Aeterna (gate six) and Eye Keep Smiling (gate nine)
Early markets have Tokyo Rose (gate seven) as favourite.
Tokyo Rose's only defeat in five starts for the Jason Grimson stable was when she finished fourth in the Queen Of The Pacific at Melton behind Captains Mistress.
OAKS ASSAULT
A team of six Queensland-trained fillies will attempt to qualify for the New South Wales Oaks Final.
The Chantal Turpin stable lad the way with four runners.
Gemma Hewitt and Grant Dixon will both have single representation, with both fillies landing barrier one in their respective heats.
The Hewitt-trained Zeezeezoom tackles the first heat following a last start third behind fellow Oaks hopeful Ima Booty Shaker.
The Dixon-trained Amylee will be partnered by Josh Gallagher in the third heat.
The filly scored a strong Redcliffe win last start.
All four of the Turpin-trained fillies look strong chances of progressing to the decider and have been supported in early markets.
Stripes and Alwaysbjoy will tackle the first heat, Will Rixon is booked for Stripes, with Pete McMullen on Alwaysbjoy.
The stable’s strongest hope appears to be Havtimetodream. The filly will contest heat two.
Havtimetodream recorded a narrow second in the traditional Oaks lead up, the Raith Memorial.
The filly has since been to the Albion Park trials, running a sizzling 1.49.5.
Ima Booty Shaker will start from the outside in heat three following a starting error in her victory over 2138 metres last week at Albion Park.
DASHING DRAWN TO DICTATE
The Shawn Grimsey-trained Dashing will be chasing a fourth successive victory in the Open Pace on Saturday night at Albion Park.
Boosting the chances of victory, the fast beginner lands the barrier draw advantage over his main rivals.
Set to run from barrier two, the dangers appear to be the last start dead-heating pair of Tims A Trooper and Speak The Truth.
The Grant Dixon-trained Tims A Trooper has landed gate three and the Shannon Price-trained Speak The Truth will need to overcome gate seven.
Dashing has won four times since joining the Grimsey stable from just six appearances.
Leading throughout at his past two starts, the five-year-old can employ similar tactics this week in dictating the pace.
ANOTHER QUALITY 75 FINAL
The April NR75 Final appears at the mercy of the Ben Battle-trained Megs Boy after the gelding landed barrier one.
The lightly raced gelding had drawn inside the second line in heat three back on April 10 and when finding open space, he sprinted powerfully to claim victory in a sizzling 1.50.9 mile.
Taken to Bathurst during the Gold Crown Carnival, the five-year-old impressed with a big victory in the Hondo Grattan Sprint.
With a front line stacked with early speed, driver Angus Garrard has the advantage from gate one.
Splash Of Paynt will start from inside the second line and looks set to have first shot of the passing lane.
The Graham Dwyer-trained Buddy Perfect has been consistent recently, finishing in the top three at his past eight starts, which included a narrow second to Megs Boy in the heat.
Sweet Agenda and Blue Suede Rocka both secured heat wins at Redcliffe and will start from barriers two and three, respectively.
