Queensland Harness Racing Wrap - February 19

Catch up on the week's harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.

THE GOOD

Making a flying start to the 2024 season, Nathan Rothwell added another first to his career over the past week, claiming his first ever driving treble.

The achievement came at Redcliffe last Wednesday night, with Rothwell claiming winners for three different trainers in bringing up the personal milestone.

Rosarito for trainer Graham White was the first of the three.

Rothwell opted for cover from gate one to settle behind the early leader Maywyn A Jug Ortwo.

With plenty to offer, Rothwell remained patient as the runs from the rear started to come, waiting for the passing lane to present.

Angling the six-year-old to the inside, Rosarito responded and darted through the gap to claim victory in the closing strides, posting a winning margin of a half-neck.

One race later and Rothwell had picked up the drive on the Donny Smith-trained filly, Skygirl which was drawn inside the second line over the 2040 metre journey.

In a neat piece of driving, Skygirl was angled off the inside soon after the start and was positioned in the one-by-one trail as the grey mare Achromatic set the tempo.

Easing wider, Skygirl had the speed to round up the leaders, pull away and post a decisive winning margin.

Skygirl is owned and bred by Maureen Smith, the filly one of just six foals that were sired by A Good Chance, a talented performer for the Smith’s, which has now had four winners from four starters.

Rothwell and the Jack Butler stable have developed a good relationship over the past six months and it was Butler that provided the third leg of the winning treble.

Taking the drive aboard Mount Hercules, it was a similar scenario to the first leg of the winning treble, with Rothwell sitting in the trail behind a Dayl March-trained and driven leader.

Like the first leg, it was the passing lane that came into play as Mount Hercules responded to the urgings to dart through along the lane to claim victory.

After returning to Queensland, the opportunities have started to increase for Rothwell and earlier this season he surpassed 50 career wins after a breakout season in 2023 where he claimed 42 winners for the term.

Already on 14 winners in 2024 and hitting at an impressive 16 per cent winning strike rate, Rothwell is firmly entrenched in the top ten of the state drivers premiership.

On Sunday at the Queensland Harness Awards night, Rothwell’s performances were recognised as he was named one of the two BOTRA Rookies of the Year alongside Layne Dwyer.

THE BAD

Last Friday the first two heat rounds of the Jim McNeil Championship were due to be held.

However, continued heavy rainfall persisted throughout Thursday night and into Friday morning, the amount of rain rendering the Albion Park surface unsafe.

With the McNeil series held over two heat rounds, some swift reorganising meant that the two heats affected from the Friday washout were able to be added to Saturday night’s program, the extra two races making it an 11 race card.

It was the Turpin stable that had the favourites in both heats, with Top Of The Moment and Gus sent to the post as the punters elect in their respective heats.

Heat one saw Top Of The Moment safely away from his 10 metre handicap and work to the front with one mile to travel.

Natty Pagger took the trail while King City moved forward to sit outside the leader to give Itsallandover the one-by-one trail.

Approaching the home turn it looked a race in two as Pete McMullen tried to establish a margin, however, Brendan Barnes and Itsallandover chased gamely and were able to wear the leader down in the closing strides to claim a half-neck margin.

The second heat saw Gus start a long odds-on favourite in his first race appearance since the Inter Dominion Final.

Slowly into stride, it was Defensive Guy for trainer and driver Matt Crone that were best away, and pressing on were able to take control of the race and once in front were never headed.

Ignite, which had been first to the lead for trainer Melissa Gillies and driver Nathan Dawson, took the trail on the eventual winner and were able to hold on for second, with Gus making some late ground to grab third.

Of the two heats, it was Defensive Guy that recorded the fastest time, the winning mile rate amended for the 20 metre handicap to 2.00.9.

The second round heats are scheduled for this Friday at Albion Park, before the Final will be held on Saturday, March 2.

THE WILDCARD

Last Thursday at Redcliffe was a good day for Queensland-based stallions, with six races won by locally based sires.

Ohoka Punter started the day when three-year-old filly Tippin It was able to claim her first win of the season and secure connections the QBRED first win bonus.

Trained and driven by Grant Dixon, the filly was able to angle off cover and finish best to break maiden ranks with a narrow victory over the Tess Neaves-trained Safetosayimfancy.

One race later and it was an early double for Ohoka Punter as three-year-old gelding Cruz Joshua was able to hold on for a narrow margin after leading throughout.

Trained by Jack Butler and driven by daughter Chloe, the gelding was first up from a spell, gripping on in the closing stages to claim a QBRED second win bonus.

Making it a Thursday double, Chloe partnered with the Stewart Dickson-trained Connies Spirit to claim the third race of the day.

A five-year-old mare by the Burwood Stud stallion, Changeover, Connies Sprit sprouted wings over the latter stages to secure her fifth career victory.

Mr Feelgood was represented by the fourth winner of the day when the Ricky Gordon-trained and driven mare, Miss Pau was able to lead throughout.

Race five made it a perfect start for the Sunshine State sires when Deecee Rockin made full use of the passing lane to dart through for Matt Elkins, taking the drive for trainer Mick Benham.

Sired by the Somerset Farms-based A Rocknroll Dance, the win made is successive victories for Benham’s five-year-old.

A Queensland stalwart of the siring ranks, Cammibest, which was formerly based at Burwood Stud, secured his third winner of the season when Bonnies Cam was successful.

Trained by Dayl March and driven by Paige Bevan, it was the 18^th career victory for the seven-year-old.

THE MILESTONE

Chloe Butler rounded out an impressive week with her first metropolitan treble on Saturday night at Albion Park.

With no meeting held on Friday, Butler was able to claim a ‘double treble’ finishing Thursday at Redcliffe with three and backing it up at 'The Creek' on Saturday night where the treble came in successive races.

Adding to the impressive strike-rate, Chloe only drove at two meetings last week, her six wins coming from nine drives.

Thursday’s first winner was Cruz Joshua for father and trainer Jack Butler, the three-year-old returning first up from a spell with victory.

Connies Spirit was the second of the winners for Stewie Dickson before Chloe ended the day with a win aboard the Graham White-trained Our Uncle Les.

The first of the Saturday night treble came in race two when extricating Vindicate from a gap to charge down the centre of the track to victory, the 1.53.2 rate establishing a new benchmark for the seven-year-old mare.

Making it a double one race later, Targaryen was rewarded for his consistent efforts in recent weeks, powering home over the top of his rivals to claim a smart victory.

Completing the treble just one race later, Bettor Romance was positioned three back along the inside by Butler and when finding space, the mare had superior closing speed to arrive in the closing strides to claim the 11^th win of her career.

While it was a treble for Chloe, Jack Butler was able to go one better and secure four for the night when Deus Ex claimed the open pace, finishing best to defeat Send It and Turn It Up, with Nathan Dawson taking the reins.

Striking at a career high 16 per cent this season, Chloe moved to the top of the Queensland Team Teal leader board for 2024 with the impressive week.

THIS WEEK

Six straight days of action begin on Monday when Redcliffe host a night meeting.

The Monday night fixture will be complemented by the regular Wednesday and Thursday program from 'The Triangle'.

Albion Park will the venue for the remaining three meetings, starting with eight races on Tuesday afternoon, followed by Friday afternoon and Saturday night meetings.

The second round heats of the Jim McNeil Series have been programmed for Friday afternoon after Itsallandover and Defensive Guy secured maximum points after round one.

Queensland will be well represented in New South Wales in the coming week, with recently crowned Queensland Horse of The Year, Leap To Fame, headlining the interstate assault as he contests Friday night’s Newcastle Mile.

Trent Dawson also heads to Sydney with a three-prong attack, his star four-year-old For Real Life to be joined by Fact Finder and Future Assured.