Catch up on the week's harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
JACK BUTLER CLAIMS GOLDEN GUITAR
Butler, Coney and Coney.
The trio were on song on Friday night at Tamworth as they secured the Group 3 Golden Guitar Final with victory awarded to four-year-old stallion Exclusive Hustler.
Trained by Jack Butler and driven by Jye Coney, Exclusive Hustler was able to overcome the outside second line on the tight Tamworth circuit and finished strongly to score a narrow victory.
It was a Butler-trained quinella, as Deebo, who had led the field from barrier one, was edged out on the line, by both a stablemate and a sibling.
Jemma Coney, the elder sister of Jye, handled the reins on Deebo and nearly held on for the victory.
Since arriving with Butler in September last year, Exclusive Hustler has been a model of consistency.
He has started on15 occasions that have now realised four wins and six placings including Friday’s Group 3 triumph.
Jye Coney’s career continues to blossom after partnering both Deebo and Exclusive Hustler to heat victories in the Guitar series.
The 18-year-old had the choice for the Final and made the right decision.
Securing the 250th win of his career just one night prior, the Guitar Final was the first Group win of his career.
After farewelling the USA-bound Mydadsaid from his stable last week, it proved to be exactly two months to the day between Group 3 wins for Jack Butler.
He claimed The C J in November and The Guitar in January.
DREAM STILL ALIVE
The $1 million Victorian Country Cups bonus is still a possibility for Leap To Fame following his victory in the Ballarat Pacing Cup on Saturday.
Despite starting from outside the front line in the field of eight, Leap To Fame proved that he is still the boss with a new track record of 1.54.4 over the 2710 metre journey.
Sent forward to take the lead from Mach Dan, Grant Dixon allowed the champion to roll freely from the front.
He posted the opening half of the last mile in 57.8 seconds.
With 1200 metres remaining, Kingman, who had conquered LTF in their previous three encounters, was eased off the inside to lead up the one-wide line.
Moving down the back straight, Dixon put the foot down and with a third panel in a sizzling 26.4 seconds, he had the field chasing in vain.
Turning for home with a big lead, Leap To Fame took 0.4 seconds off the record held by Smolda to establish yet another track record.
With win number 62 in his career, LTF currently holds records at six tracks across Australia and New Zealand.
ELLA CLAIMS PERFECT START
Lining up in her first race appearance at Redcliffe last Wednesday, it was the perfect start for Ella Lyons who rated the John Boserio-trained Barrett precisely from the front to claim victory.
Making the most of barrier one, Lyons had Barrett in front soon after the start and through opening quarters of 29.6 and 30.3 seconds, she had the gelding travelling comfortably.
With a third split of 29.1 seconds, Barrett turned for home with a slender margin as Shane Graham and Heza Maywyn forced into the clear and loomed as the party spoilers.
However, Lyons was able to extract the best from the 10-year-old and the gelding held on to claim a 17th career victory and the first under the care of Boserio since taking on the gelding back in October.
Lyons and Barrett will again line up in race one on Wednesday evening.
SATURDAY SNIPPETS
Is there any stopping Cheerstolou?
The Donny Smith-trained gelding notched up another victory on Saturday night at Albion Park which was his eighth since arriving in Queensland and fifth in succession.
Reuniting with Layne Dwyer, the 1.51.2 rate for the flying mile was highlighted by a closing half of 53.3 seconds.
Ajay Volstead returned to winning form with one of the quickest closing quarters recorded by a trotting winner at Albion Park.
Working to the front for Angus Garrard, the five-year-old produced an eye-popping 26.95 second closing panel to record the eighth win of his career and end a luckless three run stretch.
Garrard and trainer Darren Weeks combined for doubles with Ajay Volstead and the airborne Mullum Hank, who won the opening race of the night.
Completing a hat-trick of victories, Mullum Hank took his record to 11 wins from 27 starts and continued Weeks' flying start to the season.
Weeks is striking at 50% with eight winners already for the term.
Matt Elkins added a metropolitan training double to his 2026 tally, just two weeks after securing his first treble.
It was a double celebration with the win of Congo Line also providing Elkins with his 900th career driving success.
THIS WEEK
Leap To Fame will chase history when he contests the Cranbourne Cup this weekend.
If he can claim a third successive victory in the race, it will be a feat no other pacer has ever achieved.
At Albion Park on Friday, the second round heats of the Jim McNeil Memorial Trotting Championship will be held, with first round heat winners Aldebaranstilinski and Majestic Breeze set to clash.
On Saturday night, Fernco Nel will chase a fifth successive victory as he builds towards a potential tilt at the Chariots of Fire.
