Catch up on the week's harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
MARBURG DAY A SUCCESS
Queensland’s first meeting held exclusively for the trotting gait has been hailed a success with competitive racing and a strong crowd on hand.
It was the Mark Dux-trained and Angus Garrard driven Gracias that proved too hard to run down in the Graham Harriott Memorial.
The five-year-old found the front soon after the start and maintained the advantage throughout.
The win by Gracias broke a track record that had stood for over 22 years.
The 2.03.7 win for the 2550 metre standing start smashed the previous best of 2.10.5 held by Packyaport since April of 2003.
With all classes catered for on the day, there were impressive performances recorded by many winners, with track records established in three races and a class record in the two-year-old event.
Training honours went to Graham Dwyer who claimed a winning double, with Nathan Dawson guiding both winners, while Angus Garrard also secured a driving double including the Harriott Memorial.
Gary Whitaker experienced a mixed day.
Whitaker produced a gem of a drive to arrive in the last stride with Crookwell Eyes for trainer Richard Hutchinson.
And, he finished last in the Harriott half mile, a special event for the mini trotters on the day.
Whitaker has been instrumental in assisting the mini trot drivers gaining experience behind the mobile starting barrier, with the Harriott half mile a special one lap race that started under mobile conditions.
Lorelei Limpus was the winner of the race, easing to the rails early before slicing through a gap at the right time to score with Shecaughtmyeye.
DWYER REACHES 100
Graham Dwyer has produced several milestones over the last eight days with the trotters leading the way for his stable.
Fresh from Not As Promised claiming a track record over the Albion Park mile last Saturday, Dwyer notched a sixth successive 100-win season when Ideal Desire was successful at Tuesday’s meeting.
Finding the front with Layne Dwyer taking the reins, the mare was able to fight hard and lead throughout to claim victory, the 100th this season for the team.
The success continued on Saturday night when the consistent Bettors Moon was able to claim a tough win at the metropolitan fixture.
A winner of six races and placed in a further seven from just 15 starts for Dwyer, the five-year-old mare has been in super form since joining the stable after her owner and previous trainer, David Druitt, transferred the mare.
The week culminated in a training double at Marburg’s all trot day for Dwyer.
He took almost his entire team of trotters to support the day.
Mcgee is another horse that has been in great form since joining the stable earlier this season and the five-year-old was able to add a track record to his name.
Mcgee led throughout in the open class event.
The 2.01.2 rate set a new track record for the 2550 metre mobile trot, with Nathan Dawson taking the reins and leading home a stable quinella with Koda Da Moda holding on for second.
Serena Love led home a second stable quinella for the day.
Serena Love won the two-year-old trot and broke maiden ranks with a new two-year-old class record, while also defeating stablemate, The Red Menace.
NO INTERSTATE JOY FOR QUEENSLAND
Success was hard to find for Queensland horses competing interstate across the weekend.
Leap To Fame finished third in the Victoria Cup in a what was a tough effort.
However, it may have just been below par such are the lofty expectations harness racing fans have come to expect from the dual Inter Dominion champion.
Victory went to the Luke McCarthy-trained and reined Kingman who overcame a gait break to score an impressive victory and provide the trainer with a fourth Cup success.
Fate Awaits and Final Deadline were flying the Queensland flag.
However, neither were able to replicate their placings in the Victoria Derby heats, finishing fifth and ninth, respectively.
At Menangle, the Grant Dixon-trained Path To Greatness started an odds-on favourite to win his heat of the New South Wales Breeders Challenge three-year-old colts and geldings semi-final but had to settle for third.
Path To Greatness was unplaced.
However, the Queensland Constellations carnival form was to the fore at Menangle, with six winners on the nine-race program competing in Queensland during the carnival.
TOMMY TOPS 50
The move to Queensland continues to pay dividends for Tom Callaghan with the 19-year-old recently successful in the Sunshine State.
At Albion Park on Saturday, Callaghan drove a well-judged race aboard the Darrel Graham-trained In Excess to arrive in the last strides to win the opening event of the night and overturn the short price favourite Ellis Street.
Buried away on the marker line from an inside second line gate, the gaps arrived when the field swung for home and Callaghan was able to extricate the four-year-old into clear air.
In Excess sprinted sharply down the stretch to arrive for victory.
The win was the 50th this season for Callaghan and the first time that he has reached the half century in three full seasons of driving.
THIS WEEK
It will be a six-day racing week in Queensland with Albion Park hosting Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday racing.
Redcliffe will race on Wednesday night and Friday afternoon, before the week wraps up with another Sunday afternoon fixture from Marburg.
Path To Greatness will contest a second Breeders Challenge Final, with the Grant Dixon-trained gelding to start from barrier two in the Group 1 feature on Saturday at Menangle.
Soap Opera is also likely to make the trip south to contest the four-year-old mares' event for trainer Darren Weeks.
