Dashman's harness look ahead - September 6

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

A huge night beckons for several Queenslanders who will be competing in a massive night of harness racing action at Menangle, the night headlined by the world’s richest race, The Eureka.

Queensland will have three runners in the race, with Free Thinker, Sure Thing Captain and Wisper A Secret all lining up in the $2.1 million event.

Other feature races on the night with Sunshine State representation include the New South Wales Breeders Challenge Blue Three-Year-Old Fillies Final where Soap Opera will start from outside the front line, the Len Smith Mile with Speak The Truth and the Stockade where Regazzo Di Tilly will start from barrier one.

Closer to home, a nine race card will be held at Albion Park, where free for all veteran Turn It Up will have a new race night driver for the first time since December of 2022, with Kelli Dawson handed the reins.

HORSES TO WATCH

SOAP OPERA

Trained by Darren Weeks, the three-year-old filly has always shown ability throughout her career and was a strong winner in her heat of the New South Wales Breeders Challenge Blue.

Moving around to sit outside the leader, Angus Garrard was able to extract the best from the filly as she was able to claim her sixth career win from 19 starts.

Drawn outside the front line for Saturday night's Final will make it a tough task, however, she has been building into her latest campaign impressively and looms as a genuine chance to get the winning run started for the Queensland contingent on Saturday night.

SPEAK THE TRUTH

Resuming from a spell last week at Menangle, the five-year-old was mighty impressive with the first-up victory.

Pressing forward from gate seven, Adam Sanderson was able to find the front, and once in control was never headed, holding just over a metre margin over his rivals on the line.

Stopping the clock in 1.50.6, the gelding now has a 50 per cent winning strike-rate, moving to 17 life time wins from his 34 starts.

Third in the Miracle Mile earlier in the year behind Leap To Fame, the Shannon Price-trained gelding has had five starts on the big Menangle oval, securing three wins, including a 1.48.8 mile and his only unplaced performance came in the inaugural The Eureka.

REGAZZO DI TILLY

Daren Garrard must have upset the barrier gods at some point with the four-year-old having drawn gate five or wider at his past nine starts in succession.

Running on strongly in last week’s Discovery Stakes, when still punching out his own last 800 metres in 53.57 seconds, the gelding finally comes up with a good barrier and will jump from the inside alley.

Quick enough out to hold an early position, there are already some early scratching’s, which brings the field size down, and he looks well placed to secure the biggest victory of his career.

It will be a big night for Angus Garrard, along with the drive on Regazzo Di Tilly, the 21-year-old will also partner Classie Washington for his father in the opening race of the night and Soap Opera for Darren Weeks in the Breeders Challenge Final.

RACE TO WATCH

The world’s richest harness race, the $2.1 million The Eureka, is set for 8.45pm Saturday night.

With three Queensland horses to contest the race in 2024, there is a strong possibility the title will head back north of the Tweed.

Sure Thing Captain is a four-time winner at Menangle and has drawn the best of the Queenslander’s, set to jump from barrier five.

Dominant with his victory in the Discovery Stakes last week to gain the TAB slot, Shannon Price will line up for her second Eureka, having presented Speak The Truth in the inaugural edition last year.

Adam Sanderson will partner with Sure Thing Captain, having driven the talented four-year-old in all his 10 life time victories.

Wisper A Secret was made an emergency but following the scratching of Fighter Command, Tasmanian Racing confirmed the Chantal Turpin-trained four-year-old would be their slot runner.

Making a strong run from the rear of the field in the Discovery Stakes, the Huntsville gelding produced the best individual last 800 metres from the race, stopping the clock in 53.02 seconds, with the last 400 metres in 26.73 seconds.

Pete McMullen will reunite with Wisper A Secret after Jack Callaghan took the reins in last week’s race.

The Hayden winner, Free Thinker, is the third Queensland runner.

The Grant Dixon-trained four-year-old will be hoping to go one better for the states leading trainer following his second place in the 2023 edition with Leap To Fame.

Dixon’s gelding will start from barrier seven, with all three Queenslanders positioned alongside each other behind the start car.

ALBION PARK RACE TO WATCH

A nine race card at 'The Creek' on Saturday night, where race one will see Dangerzone and Royal Speech go head-to-head.

The Matt Elkins-trained and reined Royal Speech has won three of four starts since arriving in Queensland and importantly secures his best barrier for this contest since arriving.

Dangerzone returned to winning form last week over the 2138 metre trip and will be partnered by Alanah Richardson this week.

Drawn directly to the inside of Royal Speech, Dangerzone lands the first blow in the battle which looks set to be a great contest.