By Albion Park Harness Racing Club
During the first three weeks in July all roads in harness racing will lead to Albion Park or as it is affectionately known ‘the Creek’ for the renowned Winter Carnival and the conduct of Queensland’s major feature races that will be spearheaded by the $250,000 TAB Blacks A Fake (G1) a leg of the Australasian Grand Circuit on Saturday evening 20 July 2019.
The local star in Colt Thirty One trained and driven by leading horseman Grant Dixon has fired the first shot with a resounding win in a lead-up feature the Egmont Park Stud sponsored Mr Feelgood last Saturday night at Albion Park when he paced the mile and a quarter journey in a slick MR of 1:53.4.
New Zealand’s top harness barn All Stars conducted by Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen will head a list of prominent stables from New Zealand, Victoria and New South Wales that will be campaigning in Brisbane during this time with a list of ‘possible and probable’s that will include leading stables the likes of former NZ’ers Tim and Anthony Butt and Sonya Leigh Smith as well as the satellite stable of Mark Jones and Aaron Goadsby. New South Wales will have strong representation through campaigners Chris Frisby, Kevin Pizzuto, Scott Hewitt, John Boserio, Rickie Alchin, Robbie and KerryAnn Morris, Barry Lew, Shane and Lauren Tritton, Grant Jones, Craig Cross and Luke McCarthy whilst the Victorians will be headed by Dean Braun, Zac Steenhuis, Emma Stewart and last year’s TAB trainers bonus winner Mattie Craven to name but a few.
On opening night 6 July the feature races are the $30,000 Egmont Park Stud Southeast Oaks (G3) for the three year old fillies, the inaugural running of the ‘J C McMullen’ (G3) for C2 to C5 pacers only taking a career penalty for winning this $30,000 event, the $20,000 Wayne Wilson Paleface Adios Classic for the two year olds and the Badcock Group Of Companies Lucky Creed (Listed) for the open class pacers of $25,000.
The middle night 13 July sees the running of the time honoured sprint in the $100,000 Garrard’s Sunshine Sprint (G1) for the open class, the $100,000 TAB Queensland Oaks for the three year old fillies, the Egmont Park Stud Southeast Derby (G3) for the three year olds, the Fleur de Lil Ladyship (Listed) of $25,000 for the mares and the $50,000 Pryde’s EasiFeed Queensland Trotters Cup (G1) and a penalty exempt Female Driver’s Invitation of $20,000.
There is every indication with the caliber of the field available for the Garrard’s Sunshine Sprint (G1) that West Australian Im Themightyquinn’s Albion Park track record for the metric mile of 1:50.4 set in this race in 2014 may be in some jeopardy!
As earlier stated the closing night on Saturday 20 July sees the running of the ‘jewel in the crown’ the prestigious TAB Blacks A Fake (G1) for the open class, the $100,000 TAB Queensland Derby for the three year olds, the $100,000 Egmont Park Stud QBred Triad Finals for the eligible two year olds, the $30,000 Ted & Edna Badcock Memorial 4YO Championship (G3), the $20,000 Haras Des Trotteurs Trotter’s Marathon and a penalty exempt Driver’s Invitation of $20,000.
The record book shows that it’s a who’s who of winners of the TAB Blacks A Fake (G1) spearheaded by the races namesake who saluted on three occasions with Natalie Rasmussen in the bilke and in more recent times smart campaigners in Let It Ride, Hectorjayjay and Im Themightyquinn were successful.
Silks Trackside Marquee and the famous seafood buffet will be open during the course of the TAB Winter Carnival on Saturdays 6, 13, & 20 July with bookings available by phoning the Club on 07 3262 2577.