Dashman's harness look ahead - December 19

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

Just two metropolitan meetings remain for the season, with the trainer’s premiership set to go right to the wire.

There is only two wins separating Grant Dixon and Chantal Turpin.

In the driver’s premiership, Pete McMullen looks set to take the title with Nathan Dawson the only possible threat.

Dawson is not driving this Saturday night.

Dawson and Angus Garrard will both be in Tasmania on Sunday representing Queensland in the Australian Drivers Championship.

GET ON

Albion Park on Friday in race nine.

Be Good Miki is chasing back-to-back wins and looks to find the ideal conditions to complete the task after securing barrier two.

This will complement his early speed.

FRANKIE FINDING FORM

Saturday night’s open pace looks exactly that - wide open.

Heading the market when they released earlier in the week, Captain Hammerhead will need to overcome the outside of the front line to repay the punters faith.

Missing a start in the Blacks A Fake, the Grant Dixon-trained entire was able to score a dominant win in the consolation event. 

Last week he was unplaced behind the champion Leap To Fame.

There are several dangers this Saturday for the five-year-old, including Frankie Ferocious, Aroda, Mydadsaid and Rocket City who are all capable of victory.

Aroda will need to overcome an awkward draw.

The stablemate of Captain Hammerhead will start form inside the second line and maps to be locked away in the early stages.

The five-year-old was last at the races in the Blacks A Fake when finishing in the second half of the field after a wide barrier thwarted his chances.

Mydadsaid defeated Captain Hammerhead in The C J at Redcliffe.

Mydadsaid made the most of a great trip behind the speed to grab the Group 3 trophy, before beating Aroda home in the Grand Circuit event two weeks ago.

The Jack Butler-trained Mydadsaid will start from barrier two.

The biggest threat seemingly comes from Frankie Ferocious, who comes into the race showing a last start last on his form card.

That was in a standing start event where the gelding faced a 30-metre handicap and after making an early challenge for the lead that was repelled, he was then forced to sit parked before wilting late.

Frankie Ferocious was second-up from a break in the standing start event.

The gelding was first-up in the Sunshine Sprint and finished sixth behind Hi Manameisjeff after being unable to go with them in the final 300 metre sprint.

Pete McMullen will partner with Frankie Ferocious this Saturday.

McMullen has driven the Ben Crosby-trained pacer once, which returned a victory back in 2022 during his two-year-old term.

DAISY TO DEFY SECOND LINE 

Race five on Saturday night is an extended stakes mare’s qualifier and despite drawing the second line, the Chantal Turpin-trained Daisy Diana looks hard to beat.

Since crossing the Tasman to join the Turpin and Pete McMullen barn, the three-year-old filly has won three of her four starts.

Unplaced in the Peak of the Creek Final after making an error that ended any hopes of victory, the filly has been near faultless in her other three performances on the track.

Daisy Diana has plenty of quirks and an attitude to match, proving to be a handful at times.

Setting a new best time last start, the filly was sent to the front by McMullen and the speed was kept strong, stopping the clock in 1.51.8, highlighted by a 54.2 second closing half to claim her third Albion Park victory.

Speedy beginner Kyloan Queen has drawn gate six and although wide off the front line, the Matt Elkins-trained mare should have the speed to charge across early.

Chasing a hat-trick of wins last start, the six-year-old was collared in the last strides to be denied the three-peat.

Perfectly Quirky draws to advantage in gate one.

The Shannon Price-trained filly is a winner of six races in her career, with two of those on the Albion Park surface.

Last start, the three-year-old was finishing strongly from a second line gate to be just a half-neck from the winner Jensville and should secure a perfect run in transit this week. 

DAWSON AND GARRARD FLY THE QUEENSLAND FLAG

With the 2025 Queensland state premiership secured, Nathan Dawson will head to Tasmania as one of two representatives from the Sunshine State to contest the Australian Drivers Championship.

Held at Hobart on Sunday, Angus Garrard will be the other Queensland hopeful.

The pair take on the six-heat series and are looking to secure a fourth title for Queensland since the series inception in 2014.

Dawson, who has represented Queensland on two previous occasions, claimed the 2023 crown in Launceston.

He finished unplaced last year in Adelaide.

For Garrard, it will be his first crack at the ‘seniors’ Championship.

He finished agonisingly close to taking the 2023 Australasian Young Drivers Championship.

Garrard placed second on a countback.

Early indications suggest the Queensland duo will need to be at their best to bring the title back to Brisbane.

The random allocation of drives for the series does not appear overly favourable for the pair.