Look ahead to this weekend's harness racing action in our weekly preview, thanks to Darren Clayton.
A total of nine races will be decided at this Saturday’s metropolitan meeting at Albion Park.
The seven-horse open pace set to jump as race four and will be the highlight of the card.
Interstate, Queensland will be represented at Melton in the Nutrien Equine Classic Trotting Finals and at Menangle there will be a strong Sunshine State flavour added to the heats of the Carousel series.
GET ON
Albion Park on Saturday. Race one, number two - Teddy Turpin.
Went close last week when only a head away from victory and this should be more to his liking over the mile.
INTERSTATE ACTION
The time-honoured Carousel series commences on Saturday night at Menangle and Queensland owners, trainers and drivers will all be represented across the four heats.
In the opening heat, Michael Brennan has taken Ultimate Miki south to test his abilities in the series following on from his excellent performances since arriving in Queensland.
Unbeaten in all five starts in the Sunshine State, the three-year-old has three Redcliffe wins and two Albion Park victories to his name, with Luke McCarthy booked for the drive on Saturday.
Heat two features the Queensland-owned Our Sweet Delight.
Sweet Delight was a QBRED Breeders Classic-winner last season at two with the colt now prepared by Jason Grimson.
Previously trained by Chantal Turpin, the colt was sent south following QSTARS night, with Grimson producing the three-year-old to a first-up Menangle win.
The third Carousel heat will feature another ex-Turpin trained runner, Alta Magacian.
Alta Magacian is now prepared by KerryAnn Morris for last season's Albion Park owner of the Year, Craig Whiteoak.
In the fourth heat, Cosmic Flyer will line up for Anthony Gorman and Gary Bond.
Placed in the four-year-old Triad Final last month, Gorman has taken two horses south and will also saddle My Ultimate Cossie at Newcastle on Friday night.
Bond will partner both runners.
The comeback reinsman is heading south in winning form, landing wins at Redcliffe on Wednesday night and at Albion Park on Thursday.
Further south, Angus Garrard will jet into Melton to take the reins behind Desiring Diamonds in the Nutrien Two-Year-Old Trotting Fillies Final.
Trained by Rickie Alchin, the filly is owned and bred by Daren and Gayle Garrard and finished third in the QBRED Triad Final in August.
INTRIGUING OPEN CLASS MILE
Saturday night’s free for all at Albion Park has attracted seven runners, but it seems a perplexing race to dissect.
Just one runner in the field can boast a last start victory, Tims A Trooper.
What makes that hard to line up is that win was in a midweek standing start contest over the 2138 metres.
It is the same distance that the three victories the Grant Dixon-trained gelding has claimed in 2025.
Prior to the Inter Dominion, the Chantal Turpin-trained Wisper A Secret ran Leap To Fame to a half-neck in The Avonnova after starting from barrier seven.
However, his next four starts - on paper - appear to be below his best.
The closest he was to the winner in each of those four was a sixth behind Sure Thing Captain.
All four of those starts have been from second line barriers.
Freshened since the Inter Dominion Consolation, the five-year-old opened the pipes with a tidy trial performance and will appreciate a return to the front line in gate three.
Turn It Up resumes from a spell for this race.
The Shane Graham-trained veteran is faced with gate seven in his first appearance since the second round Inter Dominion heats.
Closing in on $1 million in prizemoney, the 10-year-old joined the exclusive sub 1.50 club at 'The Creek' at his last win back on June 7.
Arguably the fastest horse out of the mobile in Australia, Turn It Up has started from barrier seven on 11 occasions at Albion Park and found the front in all 11.
Frankie Ferocious looks the other main player in the race with his last start second behind The Janitor producing impressive reading on the sectional data.
Successful at both prior starts in standing start events, trainer Ben Crosby looks to have the five-year-old back near his devastating best form that led him to win the 2024 Chariots Of Fire.
MIKI’S PINK RIBBON?
Pink Ribbon Raceweek descends on 'The Creek' on Saturday night.
The raceweek returns with tri-code support once again this year on the back of raising close to $400,000 in the fight against breast cancer in 2024.
Race six will be the Pink Ribbon Cup for 2025 and once again drivers will be wearing pink helmet caps, with the winning owner, trainer and driver each receiving a trophy along with a rug for the winning horse.
Chantal Turpin trained the 2024 Cup-winner and prepares the likely favourite for the 2025 edition.
La Miki will start from barrier one for Turpin with Pete McMullen to take the reins behind the talented three-year-old filly.
A three-time winner at Albion Park, this is likely to be the filly’s last appearance in Australia prior to her impending flight to North America where her owner Mike Tanev is based.
Bad barriers have hampered her chances since arriving in Queensland, with gate one giving the filly every chance to capitalise and lower her last start personal best of 1.53.6 before her departure.
