Dashman's harness look ahead - November 21

Look ahead to this weekend's harness racing action in our weekly preview, thanks to Darren Clayton.

The washout from last Saturday night gives harness fans a huge racing banquet to feast upon across Friday and Saturday nights this week.

Albion Park on Friday night will host the remaining two Darrell Alexander Trotting Championship heats, the Queensland Trotters Oaks and Derby with the washed-out Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale Classic Finals resulting in a mammoth Friday program.

On Saturday night, the action moves to Redcliffe as they host their metropolitan fixture for The Starlights, headlined by The C J and complemented by the Redcliffe Yearling Sales Finals.

GET ON

Redcliffe on Saturday night - Manila Playboy.

After three runs back from a spell, the gelding will be close to peak fitness.

Importantly, he loves the track, winning six of nine on 'The Triangle' and presents with second line options.

C J HONOURED

The headline race for Saturday night at Redcliffe will be the inaugural running of The C J.

While the race itself is not a new event, nor the conditions altered, it has been renamed. 

It was formerly run under the title of the Patrons Purse.

That Patron was Chris Garrard and following his passing earlier this year, the legacy of Garrard will be perpetuated with the four and five-year-old feature event now known as The C J.

A member of the Queensland Harness Racing Hall of Fame, Chris Garrard and the wider Garrard family have a close association with the Redcliffe club and complementing The C J on Saturday night will be the Garrards Redcliffe Yearling Sales Finals.

The Patrons Purse was first held in 2008 with victory to Be Diligent.

It became a race that has always been keenly contested with the track record win of Leap To Fame in 2023 one of the top moments in the race’s history.

Winning the race in 2022 aboard Manila Playboy, Angus Garrard will be chasing another victory in the race named in honour of his grandfather.

It will be a real family affair for Angus.

He will partner Regazzo Di Tilly who is trained and part-owned by his father Daren.

Angus’ grandmother Maureen is a part-owner in the gelding that was bred by C J Garrard.

The talented five-year-old has drawn poorly in gate six.

However, Regazzo Di Tilly will move in one gate with the early scratching of Sure Thing Captain.

Last at the races back in August with a narrow second behind Frankie Ferociuos, Regazzo Di Tilly has been to the trials in readiness for a first0up raid on The C J and Angus is hopeful of a strong showing.

“Hopefully a bit can go our way and it would be a good one to win,” Angus said.

The early favourite for the race is the New South Wales visitor Betterthancash who is trained by Chris Judd.

Betterthancash is a horse that is now stranger to Queensland.

Betterthancash campaigned in the Sunshine State earlier this year when prepared by David and Stacey White.

All three Queensland starts on that occasion were at Albion Park, with the tighter Redcliffe track somewhat of an unknown with the four-year-old, who will be partnered by Pete McMullen.

Jack Butler has previously won this race back in 2016 with Barynya and will be represented on Saturday by the talented Birkirkara.

The gelding loomed strongly last week in finishing second behind The Janitor in the Be Good Johnny Sprint and is another that will taking his first look at the Redcliffe surface.

Nathan Dawson will need to weave some magic to overcome a wide second line gate with Birkirkara.

Dawson opted to stick with the Butler-trained gelding over the Donny Smith-trained Rocket City.

That paves the way for recent centurion Layne Dwyer to chase a maiden Group-level victory.

Dwyer reunites with Rocket City from barrier three.

Dwyer has two previous wins aboard the gelding.

ADAH KOKO CHASING VICTORY

The three-year-old edition of the Redcliffe Yearling Sales Final has drawn together an even field.

Heat winners for the 2025 edition were Magic Jujon for trainer Grant Dixon and Adah Koko for Adam and Alannah Richardson.

A winner in two of her 11 career starts, Adah Koko led throughout in her heat victory and has drawn ideally in gate one for the decider following the preferential barrier draw applied to fillies.

Possessing good speed, the favourable barrier will provide Adam Richardson with the options in the early stages on Saturday night.

“She has actually surprised me with her two runs in front, I was a little bit nervous, but she’s got the job done both times,” Alanah said.

Bred by Adam Richardson, out of the former smart race mare Bariettas Bliss, the filly did not quite meet the $8,000 reserve in the sale ring and the couple took her home after bidding stalled just $500 short of the reserve.

That $500 difference will be negligible if the filly is to conquer this Saturday’s Final, with the winner’s cheque totaling $78,750.

The Graham Dwyer-trained and Layne Dwyer-driven Call It Bling was just a half-head away when second to Adah Koko in the heat.

Pundits suggest the gelding can turn the tables after opening at the head of the market.

Connections of Call It Bling went agonisingly close to winning the 2020 edition of the race with Shes Miss Devine who finished second and will be hoping Call It Bling can go one better.