Catch up on the week’s harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
One of the first progeny of a 2018 initiative to stimulate harness racing breeding in Queensland has landed a victory at Albion Park
The initiative was held between Racing Queensland and Haras Des Trotteurs and offered the opportunity for a public ballot to secure ownership in a trotting broodmare.
Winner Shane McConnell received ownership of the mare Yankee Duchess and she was put in foal to Used To Me, a French-bred stallion imported to Australia by Yabby Dams Farms principal Pat Driscoll.
Fast forward to July 26, 2022, and the filly, which is QBRED qualified and the first foal from the promotion, raced as Ysmir (pictured).
Having only her third start for owner/breeder McConnell and trainer/driver Trent Moffat she started at $31.
Moffat had the filly in a perfect position behind the leader and avoided early misfortunes that resulted in five of the seven runners effectively out of play.
Following the leader, The Emulator, every step of the way, Moffat pulled Ysmir to the outside in the home stretch and, with the filly trotting cleanly, sailed past The Emulator to claim victory by more than seven metres.
Along with first-place prize money of$6000, Ysmir also secured McConnell the $14,000 QBRED first-win bonus - all from a free mare with a free service.
The win was the second this season to come from the 2018 promotion, with Razzleme Dazzleme victorious in June.
THE BAD
Trainer Mark McNee has called time on the racing career of six-year-old gelding Lifes Black after the talented pacer succumbed to niggles and injuries that plagued his career.
The gelding was trained by McNee and owned and bred by Paul Galvin and Steve Mauger and bowed out racing with 20 wins and 33 placings from 104 starts.
McNee was told in April 2020 that retirement, after rehabilitation, looked likely for Lifes Black (pcitured) after he severely injured a tendon.
Knowing the grit and talent that Lifes Black possessed, McNee convinced owners Galvin and Mauger to attempt a return to the track, and so began an intensive regime of daily icing and poulticing.
Six weeks of this therapy resulted in an improved scan and then swimming was added to his rehab regime.
As further time passed, every monthly scan improved and reached a point where vet Mark McGarry cleared the gelding to make a full racing return.
Lifes Black would go on to claim a further eight victories, the last of his career recorded on May 18 in a mile-rate of 1.56.0.
At his best on his home track, the son of Bettors Delight recorded 16 of his 20 victories on the Redcliffe Triangle.
His best time of 1.55.6 was recorded when he claimed victory two weeks before what would be his last win.
In July 2019, Lifes Black carved out a 1.55.9 mile rate for three-year-olds over the 1780-metre distance, setting a record, lowering the previous best of 1.56.2 which was set by Corelli in 2005.
Crunch Time has since lowered the mark, but Lifes Black will retire with a Redcliffe record against his name.
He owns the 3YO 2280-metre standing start record at 2.00.9, which was just .2 outside the overall record owned by Son Of Pearl and set in 1997.
His racing career may be finished, but Lifes Black’s next chapter will soon start off the track, as he prepares for the show ring.
Madison and Meaghan McNee, Mark’s daughters, will begin the transition for the gelding to embark on his new journey.
THE WILDCARD
John McMullen and Peter Greig have dominated Marburg in the past 12 months in the training ranks, and that continued Sunday when both recorded trebles.
Greig was the first to complete the feat with wins to Joy Maker, Beef City Starzzz (pictured) and Miss Mia.
Beef City Starzzz recorded an all-the-way victory with Greig taking the reins. The win also brought up 50 training victories for the season for Peter Greig. It’s the fifth successive season that he has achieved the feat.
It was Pete McMullen at the reins of Greig’s other winners when he steered siblings, Miss Mia and Joy Maker, to victories.
Pete McMullen also recorded a driving treble on the day, claiming success in the opening race of the day aboard the Graham Dwyer-trained Clares Fool.
With just one runner in race five and a further four runners across the last three races of the day, John McMullen went home with a treble, claiming the last three races on the card.
Resuming from a spell, Im A Classy Girl led all the way in the sixth race to record her second career victory.
After splitting the decision courtesy of a dead heat win at Redcliffe on Thursday, Studleigh Mark claimed the prize outright on Sunday, as he proved too tough after sitting parked throughout to record a narrow victory.
Completing the treble was Yarraman Rocky, the five-year-old gelding who claimed his fourth career success for owner/breeder Les Schloss, with a last stride verdict over race favourite Everything Happens.
Taleah McMullen continued the treble trend, driving all three of her father’s winners to make a move in the State Drivers Premiership.
In securing the treble, Taleah moved one win clear of Leonard Cain and into equal seventh position on the premiership table. She has 69 wins and is level with Shane Graham.
THE MILESTONE
It was a bittersweet moment throughout the Constellations Carnival for Sky Racing presenter Brittany Graham when her trotter Majestic Harry twice finished second in Group races.
Runner-up in the Group 1 Darrel Alexander Memorial and the Group 2 Queensland Trotters Sprint a week later, on both occasions Graham had to interview the winning drivers immediately after the race for Sky Racing viewers.
With the Carnival wrapping up for another year, Brittany swapped stilettos for silks and fulfilled some metropolitan driving engagements on Saturday night.
Taking the drive aboard Mafuta Vautin and Tiz A Sizzler (pictured), it was a good night in the bike, as she claimed a victory and a second from two drives.
Locked away on the poles after starting from inside the second line aboard Mafuta Vautin, the chestnut gelding chased hard to grab second after finding space at the top of the stretch.
It was the 21st time in his career that Mafuta Vautin had finished as runner-up. He has also had 23 third placings and 33 victories and netted more than $300,000 in stake earnings.
Tiz A Sizzler was third-up in the last race and the talented son of Changeover was on the comeback, having spent more than a year on the sidelines.
Backing up from a second on Tuesday at The Creek behind Delightful Dude, Brittany dropped Tiz A Sizzler out to last soon after the start of the 2138 metre event from his outside front-line gate.
Making a move down the back straight on the final occasion, Tiz A Sizzler loomed ominously and as the field swung for home, was travelling strongly.
Going past the leader Mr Ibiza, the now six-year-old scored a strong victory by just under three metres, running his last 800m in a blistering 54.64 wide out.
The win was the second metropolitan victory for Brittany at The Creek this season, the other was aboard Maggie in January when securing a mare’s qualifier.
Another milestone is also just around the corner, as Brittany requires three more wins to reach 300 career-driving victories.
THIS WEEK
Five meetings in the week ahead in Queensland with Albion Park hosting three and Redcliffe two.
Eight races will be decided at The Creek on Tuesday followed by a Friday night meeting and a Saturday metropolitan fixture.
Redcliffe will host 10 races on Wednesday night and the regular Thursday afternoon fixture will wrap up the week from the peninsula.
The next eight days will be important for QBRED eligible horses that are 2, 3 and 4 years old in building their ranking position.
Heats for the two-year-old and three-year-old pacers will be held on Friday, August 12 heading towards the big Q Stars Group 1 Finals on August 20.