Dashman's harness look ahead - February 13

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

There are 17 races scheduled for Albion Park across Friday and Saturday. 

Interstate, Leap To Fame will race for more than the $142,500 winners’ cheque in the A.G. Hunter Cup.

A win also secures the $1 million Victoria Cups bonus after his victories at Ballarat, Cranbourne and Kilmore.

GET ON

Albion Park on Saturday night in race nine - Ajay Volstead.

The Darren Weeks-trained five-year-old has wicked speed for a trotter and the map looks to work perfectly in his favour to follow the tempo and strike late.

LOU TO EXTEND STREAK

The Donny Smith-trained Cheerstolou has built an impressive record at Albion Park, posting eight wins from nine appearances. 

The winning run includes feature race success in the Peak of the Creek.

The six-year-old has continued his march through the grades and another win on Saturday night will have the gelding graduate into free for all company.

Despite the rapid rise and only tackling the junior free for all this week, the flying machine already has a last start win in open company where he defeated proven open class performers Speak The Truth and Tims A Trooper.

He produced an eye-watering 53.3 second closing half in that victory.

This week’s assignment likely presents as a carbon copy to his last start where he will aim to find the front and run the opposition off their feet.

Layne Dwyer will continue his association with the gelding.

The pair to run from barrier two, with another strong victory setting the plans for a potential shot at the Newcastle Mile.

Veteran pacer Turn It Up is set to follow Cheerstolou from the start.

The Shane Graham-trained and reined pacer needs just $1,891 in prizemoney to reach $1 million in career earnings.

A second-place finish can see the 11-year-old reach the milestone and with retirement beckoning, it could well be his swansong.

Mullum Hank will start from barrier three and has been racing consistently since returning from a spell for Darren Weeks and Angus Garrard.

Chasing a fourth successive victory last start, the gelding never found open space in finishing just a neck from the winner.

The Trent Dawson-trained For Real Life will start from barrier four.

The six-year-old stallion had a year to forget in 2025 and will be third-up from a break as he looks to recapture his best form.

DEADLINE APPROACHING

Shannon Price will have a decision to make with her talented four-year-old Final Deadline following his run in the second race on Saturday night.

A winner of seven races, as well as being a runner-up a further six times, from just 18 appearances, the gelding has returned from a spell in great fashion.

He has secured successive wins at Albion Park. 

Another strong showing will likely confirm a trip south to contest a Chariots Of Fire qualifier at Menangle.

It will just need a decision on whether to contest the Hondo Grattan on February 21 or the Paleface Adios one week later.

Last season Final Deadline highlighted his standing amongst the Queensland-based three-year-old crop. 

He finished fifth in the Queensland Derby and then two months later scored a commanding win over Fate Awaits and Fernco Nel.

A winner in a mid-week standing start event at his four-year-old return, the 54.6 second closing half was impressive in the victory.

Second-up the gelding scored a tough win from gate six after sitting parked at the mile where he set a new career best rate of 1.51.0.

That run highlighted his versatility.

Despite having yet to win his qualifying ranking, Final Deadline will step up for Saturday’s assignment.

Adam Sanderson will reunite with the gelding after Mitch Cox took the drive with his last start victory.

A distinct barrier advantage favours the talented gelding who will leave from barrier one and possesses excellent gate speed.

The map suggests Sanderson will be out of trouble from the front.

The main threats have drawn wide.

Basilisk Bob is in gate six, Xpress Party is in gate seven, while Resilient has drawn two off the second line for Tom Callaghan.

LTF BIDS FOR SECOND HUNTER CUP

Leap To Fame will contest his third A.G. Hunter Cup on Saturday night.

He will look to emulate King Of Swing as the only two-time winner of the Grand Circuit event since it was reinstated as a mobile start contest in 2017.

The Hall of Famer won the race in 2024. 

The 2025 edition produced the epic home stretch duel with Swayzee. 

Leap To Fame finished just a head away in second place last year after doing a mountain of work in a track record breaking performance.

Leap To Fame will need to overcome gate six to secure the $1 million Victoria Summer of Glory Cup bonus, with Swayzee drawn barrier two and his New Zealand Cup conqueror Kingman, drawn the second line.