Dashman's harness look ahead - November 7

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

Friday night at Albion Park will be the entrée to The Starlights when heats of the Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale Classic races are held.

Finals for two and three-year-old pacers, along and two-year-old trotters, will be held next Saturday with over $450,000 in stakes on offer.

There is a total of nine races on the card this Saturday night, with a small five horse free for all signaling the return of Captain Shuffles and For Real Life.

GET ON

Albion Park on Saturday in race four - Wamboyneinamerica.

Trained by Rickie Alchin, the gelding returns to Queensland off the back of some solid performances in New South Wales throughout October. 

Has the speed to dictate.

CRACKING QUALIFIER

Race one on Saturday night is arguably one of the strongest fields ever assembled to contest a qualifying race at Albion Park. 

The field boasts five last start winners, three of which have multiple wins in succession, four progressive three-year-olds and a front-line bursting with speed.

Bold Medley Jujon takes his place from gate nine with the gelding stopping the clock in 1.50 at his first run for Mitchell Dawson.

Producing a power-running performance, the time was the quickest ever recorded in a rating based midweek event.

Gate nine will make the task more difficult for this assignment and the gelding will also need to overcome a trio of high class three-year-olds, who are all trained by Chantal Turpin.

Driver Pete McMullen had the choice of the three for Turpin. 

The leading metro driver may have given punters a lead by taking the reins aboard last start-winner Fernco Nel.

Since crossing the Tasman, Fernco Nel has not missed a placing in nine appearances, winning six of those, including victory last week when finding the front from gate seven, stopping the clock in 1.53.8.

Taleah McMullen has been handed the reins on The Rascal.

The three-year-old remains unbeaten in three starts for the Turpin stable.

However, gate eight potentially makes it an awkward position.

The third of the Turpin runners will be partnered by Tom Callaghan.

Callaghan's drive, Udderly Sweet, is a last start Triad runner-up and will run from barrier four.

A case could be made for every runner in the field; such is the depth of the event.

WILL BIGGER BE BETTOR?

Race one may be an open contest with multiple winning hopes, but on paper, race two looks a race in two.

Despite drawing gates nine and 10 respectively, Bigger The Bettor and Tremendous Sensation appear to be the main players.

If Fernco Nel can win the opening event, then stocks in Tremendous Sensation should rise appreciatively, with the Trent Lethaby-trained mare defeating Fernco Nel last start.

Tremendous Sensation led on that occasion and burned the candle throughout the entire 1660 metre journey.

Positing a 26.9 second opening quarter, Tremendous Sensation was joined at the 800 metre mark by Fernco Nel and the speed down the back straight was frenetic, with the quarter posted in a sizzling 26 seconds flat.

Despite the burn, Taleah McMullen drove confidently and held on to claim victory.

The 1.52.8 rate was 0.7 seconds off the four-year-old’s personal best which was recorded three starts back.

Mitchell and Nathan Dawson have Bigger The Bettor in great form.

The four-year-old has won five from 12 at Albion Park as well as finishing runner-up on a further four occasions.

Last week the gelding had gate 10 at the mile and ran his own last 800 metres in 54.72 seconds.

He was wide off the track in chasing home the leader and winner, Darin.

Bigger The Bettor was exactly that with his victory, he sat parked and proved too strong in producing a first over crush.

If there are any dangers to the pair, it could come from the Gemma Hewitt-trained Our Indifference who has drawn gate one.

This is the best draw Our Indifference has landed in some time.

Checknoutthetalent is always thereabouts but faces a tricky front line gate, while the Group 1-winning Bronski Zulu draws for a soft trip.

SMALL BUT TRICKY OPEN CLASS PACE

Race seven is the open class pace on Saturday night and despite just the five runners to battle it out, the quintet looks hard to line up.

Dual Group 1-winner For Real Life makes a long-awaited return.

The Trent Dawson-trained five-year-old is looking to finish a disjointed season on a high.

A winner back in February in a sizzling 1.50.1 mile, his next two were well below his lofty standards.

For Real Life has been off the scene since his last run on March 15.

A winner of 16 races from just 33 starts, For Real Life showed in a recent trial that he could well be back to his best, producing a 1.51.3 mile, highlighted by a sizzling 53.4 second last half.

Also, off the scene since March is the Ben Crosby-trained Captain Shuffles who also returns to the track this week.

Scoring three wins earlier in the year, the six-year-old has not been seen since finishing down the track behind Duke Of Scotland.

Given two trials in readiness for the return, Captain Shuffles will start from barrier three.

Manila Playboy has drawn the best in the small field, landing gate one for Daren and Angus Garrard.

Fitter following two runs back from a spell, the added fitness could just be the edge needed to take this race.

Finishing just five metres from Wisper A Secret when resuming, Manila Playboy chased home The Janitor last start and will come into this three weeks between runs.