Catch up on the week's harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
Last Tuesday at Albion Park, consolations were held for the QBRED Breeders Classic, with divisions held for the colts and gelding and the fillies for each of the two-year-old and three-year-old ages.
Trainer and driver Grant Dixon picked up the first consolation of the day when Missed Consequences proved too strong for her opposition in the two-year-old fillies division, sitting parked to score a gritty victory by a half-head margin.
Owned by GSM Racing - headed by Greg Mitchell - the filly is a daughter of Ohoka Punter out of the top producing broodmare, Talented Tess, with the victory also securing connections the QBRED first win bonus on top of first place prize money.
With Missed Consequences breaking through for victory at her first career start, Talented Tess remains a 100% winning producer, with all five of her foals having been successful on the track.
The two-year-old colts and geldings were the next event to be decided and again the winner broke maiden ranks with victory to secure the $14,000 first win bonus.
Splashndash claimed the win for trainer John McMullen, with Pete McMullen making a rare appearance in the bike for his father to guide the son of Changeover to victory.
Facing the starter for just the third time, the gelding settled in behind the leader before Pete angled to the outside on the home bend and possessed the closing speed to take the prize, stopping the clock in a 1.56.8 mile rate.
Pete McMullen annexed both ‘boys’ divisions when partnering with the Shawn Grimsey-trained Carter Grant, a gelding by Vincent, to claim the three-year-old colts and geldings’ consolation.
Starting a short-priced favourite to take the race, McMullen had the gelding in the one-by-one trail and when set free, sprinted stylishly to score in a career personal best of 1.56.3, defeating the fast-finishing Jakki Mun, driven by Angus Garrard.
The win saw Carter Grant go one better than his effort in 2022, where he was runner-up in the mixed-sex consolation behind subsequent three-year-old Fillies Breeders Classic winner Torque Like Motion.
Remaining undefeated in her two Queensland starts since arriving from Victoria, the Shannon Price-trained Miss Bay King Cole was successful in the three-year-old fillies division.
Pressing on from gate four and strong-arming her way to the front with 1100 metres to travel, the daughter of Hurrikane Kingcole was able to fight them off thereafter, claiming a three-metre margin from the fast-finishing Mullum Ruby.
The next major QBRED features will be the Group 1 TRIAD Finals and consolations to be held in August.
THE BAD
The Albion Park 1660 metre track record holder, Blacksadance, was sent out as the favourite by punters on Saturday night in the Garrards Horse and Hound Open Discretionary Handicap over the long 2647 metre journey.
However, the gelding was unable to deliver on the punter’s expectations, fading out over the latter stages to finish in 11th position.
After making an error when the tapes released, Pete McMullen allowed the six-year-old to settle at the rear before taking off with one mile left to travel and working his way to the lead, with Petes Said So taking the trail after moving in front of Blacksadance.
Approaching the home bend on the final occasion, Blacksadance could do no more and started to yield ground as Mach Da Vinci established a break on the field and tried to finish them off.
While Blacksadance would have to settle for an unplaced finish, his year younger full brother - Big Wheels - with Chantal Turpin driving, had worked into the race strongly and was setting out after Mach Da Vinci.
Despite being first-up since December, Big Wheels was able to run his own last 800 metres in 55.48 seconds and the last mile in 1.53.98, taking the victory over Governor Jujon with Mach Da Vinci holding on for third.
The win was the 18th career victory for Big Wheels from 47 starts, with a further 17 minor placings to his name, the latest victory taking his stakes to $277,562.
That puts him within $7,000 of his brother Blacksadance who has 23 wins and $284,474 to his name.
A son of the three-time Queensland broodmare of the year winner, Washington Lass, the win by Big Wheels took the stakes earnings of her progeny beyond $700,000, bringing up the 51st victory recorded from her four foals to have raced.
THE WILDCARD
Trent Lethaby only has a small team in work; however, he was able to claim two winners last week when Lydias Art and Red Right Hand were both successful.
Purchasing Lydias Art as a four start maiden from the North Island of New Zealand, the three-year-old first raced in Queensland for Lethaby at Redcliffe on April 20 when finishing second behind Imthecandyman.
Runner-up at his next two appearances, the gelding was able to claim the breakthrough on The Triangle on May 19 at his fourth appearance since arriving in Queensland, with part-owner and partner of Lethaby, Taleah McMullen taking the reins.
Off the back of that win, Lydias Art was able to quickly make it successive victories when proving successful at Redcliffe again last week.
Taken back from gate five, the gelded son of Art Major was able to finish powerfully to claim victory over the Bathurst visitor Tulhurst Pebbles.
On Friday at Albion Park, Red Right Hand claimed a career personal best when overcoming a second line gate to post an impressive victory in a 1.55.0 mile rate.
Like his stable mate, Red Right Hand is also a gelded son of Art Major and was also successful for the first time for Lethaby, at his fourth start following his arrival from New Zealand.
Like his stable-mate, it was also Taleah McMullen in the seat for the win of Red Right Hand, the five-year-old suggesting a win was not far away after a solid effort chasing home Leap To Fame two starts back.
The win of Red Right Hand was the fifth this season for Lethaby as a trainer from 28 starters for the term, with his benchmark of seven wins set last season likely to be easily eclipsed with seven months of the season still to run.
For Taleah, the win of Red Right Hand was her 36th victory of the season, with that tally growing after a winner at Marburg on Sunday.
On her current strike-rate, McMullen will go close to registering another century season after posting 115 wins in the 2022 term.
THE MILESTONE
After a breakthrough victory with his pacer Tommy Bligh in early April to give him his first Queensland victory, Nathan Rothwell has ticked another milestone off the list with the victory of Playa Blanca on Saturday night.
A move back to Queensland continues to prove successful, the latest success providing Rothwell with his first metropolitan victory as both a driver and a trainer.
Making the win even sweeter, Playa Blanca is owned by Rothwell in partnership with his twin brother Will.
With the benefit of the inside gate, Rothwell was able to drive his mare off the arm to secure the trail on the back of the leader, Come Say Hi and driver Rickie Alchin.
With the first half run in 58.3 seconds, it was an even tempo in front, with a third split in 28.3 seconds and as they approached the home bend, there was space to the outside and rather than waiting for the passing lane, Rothwell opted to right-line the mare and set out after the leader.
Chasing hard, Playa Blanca was able to arrive in the last strides to claim a half-head winning margin, with Come Say Hi holding second, while the Darren Weeks trained, and Kylie Rasmussen driven Delightful Lou flashed late to grab third.
The victory gave Playa Blanca a new personal best of 1.55.2 with the victory with the five-year-old taking her record to nine wins.
Claiming his sixth driving win of the season, Rothwell is now equal with his benchmark set last season and with the freelance opportunities starting to materialise, it looks likely to be a breakout year for the young horseman.
THIS WEEK
The end of another month is on the horizon this season, with five months of the season completed and a big seven months ahead here in Queensland.
Six days of racing action for the week will start on Tuesday with another big 11 race card from Albion Park, before further meetings on Friday and Saturday nights.
Redcliffe will host three meetings this week, with the regular Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon fixtures complemented by a Sunday night meeting.
The racing highlight this Saturday will be the Listed Flashing Red Discretionary Handicap, the main lead-up feature to the Redcliffe Cup later in the month.
