Catch up on the week's harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
DAWSON FIRST TO 50
Just one week after being presented with the Queensland Driver of the Year crown for last year, Nathan Dawson reached the first milestone of 2026 in the pursuit of successive titles.
Guiding six-year-old gelding Beer Money to victory for trainer Jason Carkeet at Redcliffe last Thursday, Dawson reached 50 wins for the season.
Not only did it bring up the half-century, but the win was also secured Dawson a quartet of victories on the day.
The win of Beer Money was accompanied by victories aboard Illbewatching, Princess Arna and Our Dolly.
Dawson’s lead in the 2026 state title has reached 22.
He added another four wins on Saturday night to also lead the metropolitan premiership.
He has driven four winners at each of the past two metro meetings.
Currently striking at a career-high 24%, Dawson is on target to secure a seventh successive 200-win season.
A milestone of 2,500 career wins also is within reach by season’s end at the current success rate.
QUEENSLAND FORM SHINES BRIGHT
Leap To Fame and The Janitor produced contrasting victories at Menangle on Saturday night to both earn a shot at this weekend’s $1 million Miracle Mile.
The Grant Dixon-trained champion Leap To Fame was again forced to dig into his seemingly bottomless reserves of stamina with victory in the first sprint qualifier after sitting outside the leader.
It was the noted speedster Hi Manameisjeff that took up the lead role as expected.
Hi Manameisjeff set a sizzling tempo from the front, while Leap To Fame was sent forward by Grant Dixon to lead the one-wide line.
With a closing half recorded in 53.6 seconds, Leap To Fame refused to quit and held off Chase A Dream who had emerged from the ruck to give chase but ultimately could not get past Dixon’s star.
Leap To Fame will now contest a third successive Miracle Mile and will start from barrier four.
Meanwhile, The Janitor was resuming from a spell in the second qualifier for trainer Chantal Turpin.
The five-year-old started from barrier one.
Pete McMullen did not bustle the gelding in the early stages, finding his way off the inside and settling one out and three back as Kingman set the tempo in front.
The Janitor was the widest runner as the field turned for home.
The Janitor showed the acceleration required to grab victory over a fast-finishing Swayzee and claim a new best rate with the 1.49.3 win.
Claiming an 18th career win, The Janitor will line up directly outside Leap To Fame in barrier five, with Speak The Truth the second emergency to start from barrier one, should he gain a start.
BAILEY ON THE BOARD
With less than a handful of horses and just two starts in 2026, the win by Threentwo on Friday at Albion Park was a clean sweep for Edd Bailey.
The five-year-old mare is bred, owned, trained and was driven by Bailey to victory, which was the third in her career, with Bailey in the cart for all three wins.
Not only breeding the mare, Bailey also owned, raced and stood the sire of Threentwo, Sunshine Beach, who has now sired 12 winners from 18 foals.
The three career wins of Threentwo are Bailey’s last three driving victories, with the first recorded in a two-year-old event at Redcliffe in November of 2023.
Winless in 2024 as a three-year-old, Threentwo secured her second win in August of 2025 at Redcliffe with her third career win and first at Albion Park last Friday.
Stopping the clock in 1.56.3, Threentwo established a new career-best winning rate.
She was forced to do all the work outside the leader and pull clear in the closing stages to score.
SATURDAY SNIPPETS
“It's another nose margin, when’s this going to stop?” Chris Barsby asked as Aldebaranstilinski and Golden Sunset crossed the line in the fourth race at Albion Park on Saturday night.
It was Aldebaranstilinski that arrived in the last stride to claim the Tony Veivers Memorial Trot, scoring by the barest possible margin to record a fourth successive victory.
The first four races on the card all went right to the wire, with the winning margin in all four officially recorded as a short-half-head, the smallest winning margin that can be recorded.
Cool Night was the first of four winners for Nathan Dawson in the opening race of the night.
The Stephen Cini-trained gelding arrived in the last stride to deny a brave Applied victory.
Race two and it was again Dawson.
He guided Dashing for trainer Shawn Grimsey to a last stride win over Attachment and Tom Callaghan.
The third race completely changed complexion when favourite Huxton, who was leading at the time, galloped with 200 metres remaining.
Huxton's chances expired.
We Always Have Faith, Basilisk Bob and Sir Richard Lee then fought the race out, with the Mathew Neilson-driven We Always Have Faith holding on.
After two narrow defeats, Tom Callaghan bounced back later in the night with a dictating win aboard Daisy Diana for Chantal Turpin.
Training honours on the night went to Shawn Grimsey with a double as Mardibringsaparty scored in the last race of the night in a career best 1.53.0 wining rate.
THIS WEEK
A total of six meetings will be held in Queensland this week, three from Albion Park, two from Redcliffe and a Sunday afternoon meeting from Marburg to finalise the week.
Queensland trainers will continue their southern raid at Menangle with Leap To Fame and The Janitor tackling the Miracle Mile where Speak The Truth is listed as second emergency.
Fire And Passion will chase New South Wales Derby glory, while Gus will attempt to end the winning streak of Keayang Zahara in the Hammerhead Mile.
