Look ahead to this weekend's harness racing action in our weekly preview, thanks to Darren Clayton.
The air temperature may have dropped in the past week, but the on-track action is starting to heat up as the Queensland Constellations officially begins this Saturday night at Albion Park.
A spot in the Group 1 The Rising Sun is on offer to the winner of the Queensland Sun and the field is by far the strongest ever assembled in the short history of the race.
Inter Dominion trotting hopefuls will do battle in the Tony Veivers Memorial where two of the main runners, Oscar Bonavena and Gus, will need to overcome second line draws.
The Flashing Red has drawn a capacity field.
Further south and Don Hugo will make his final New South Wales appearance before heading to Queensland hoping to defend his Inter Dominion title.
GET ON
Rocket City. Albion Park on Saturday night - race seven, number one.
Was large in his win at 'The Creek' last Friday.
That was from gate seven where he did all the work.
Nathan Dawson takes the drive and he can deliver.
QUEENSLAND SUN BAKING HOT
With a The Rising Sun spot on the line, the field for the Queensland Sun is stacked with talented performers and guarantees to be an epic contest.
With conditions mirroring The Rising Sun with three-year-olds gaining barrier draw advantage, Path To Greatness is the only acceptor to take on the challenge against the older opponents.
A last start winner, the Grant Dixon-trained gelding was runner-up to the unbeaten Always Hot in the New South Wales Derby earlier this season and has missed a top three finish just once in 12 career starts.
Dixon has opted to partner Path To Greatness.
He had no shortage of choices, preparing five of the 12 runners.
However, it is an important statistic that no three-year-old has ever won the Queensland or The Rising Sun.
Another of the Dixon-trained stars is drawn to follow Path To Greatness at the start, with Mathew Neilson booked for the drive aboard Charge Ahead.
The four-year-old Charge Ahead was also runner-up at Menangle in a Group 1 classic earlier this season when finishing hard for second behind Bay Of Biscay in the Chariots Of Fire.
The Jack Butler-trained Birkirkara was a gallant third last week.
Birkirkara was forced to take on open class company from a poor gate and he will again need to overcome a tough draw this time, landing gate 11 for this week’s assignment.
Only lightly raced, Birkirkara has looked a talented and progressive horse from his first appearance and the latest performance highlighted just what type of power the four-year-old has under the hood.
Group 1 champions Air Express and Rylee Rhayne Bow will also line up in a race that will be sure to bring the heat.
GUS v OSCAR
The Tony Veivers Memorial Trot has attracted a strong line up for the inaugural running.
Several Inter Dominion hopefuls will contest the feature.
They are either beginning or building into their 'ID' campaigns.
Millionaire performer Oscar Bonavena will make his first appearance in Queensland as his tilt at Inter glory begins for co-trainers Mark and Nathan Purdon.
The nine-year-old veteran has won just two races on Australian soil.
Both were recorded earlier this season with victories in the Cranbourne Trotters Cup and a 1.53.5 victory at Menangle in readiness for the Group 1 Hammerhead Mile.
Producing an eye-catching trial victory over pacers last week, Oscar Bonavena will be partnered by Adam Sanderson on Saturday night as he chases a 35th career victory.
Gus was also impressive last week at 'The Creek'.
However, his performance was under race conditions when claiming a 13th career win at Albion Park.
Quickly away from his 30-metre handicap, Pete McMullen had the six-year-old well positioned in the running line and when set free, Gus showed his speed to reel in the leaders and pull clear to post an eight-metre winning margin.
Zealous Spur will also have to overcome a second line gate if he is to make it successive victories.
The eight-year-old posted a last start win over Gus when leading throughout at these same conditions.
The sentimental favourite will be Not As Promised.
The dual Group 1-winner is returning from a New Zealand campaign where he was below his best.
But, he did manage a second place behind Oscar Bonavena at Cambridge at the start of his campaign.
Not As Promised has an exemplary record at Albion Park, missing a placing just once and winning 11 of his 13 appearances on his home deck.
The five-year-old took Tony Veivers on a great ride in the latter stages of his life and to win a race named in honour would be fitting.
ARODA THE ONE
The Flashing Red looks at the mercy of Aroda.
The Grant Dixon-trained five-year-old draws perfectly on the front line where he can display his exemplary standing start manners.
Leading soon after the start last week despite beginning from a 20-metre handicap, Aroda released his stablemate Leap To Fame at the mile, securing the pocket trail for the remainder.
Sticking with the world’s best pacer over the last 200 metres, Aroda held ground through a sizzling 26.3 second closing quarter to hold on for second place.
Chevron Art is the favourite in the early market but will need to overcome a cramped position at his first mobile start if he is to claim victory for trainer Seaton Grima.
The Dixon stable again has a strong hand, with Free Thinker, Captain Hammerhead and Tims A Trooper all capable of victory with the right run.
