Famous harness name back in winning frame

By Jordan Gerrans

The Wanless surname is one of the most famous in the history of Queensland harness racing and the family was back in the winning’s circle on Friday through the return of trainer James.

James Wanless has dabbled in training gallopers in recent years with some success from his Maryborough base.

The 36-year-old stepped away thoroughbred racing in late 2022 and made a return to the harness game late last year.

He prepared his first harness racing winner on Friday afternoon since the 2015-16 campaign when Ideal Desire justified her short quote to win over 1660 metres at Albion Park. 

The five-year-old mare has been under James’ care in her last half-a-dozen starts since being moved on from the Graham Dwyer barn.

When James was searching for a pacer to get back into the game, top horseman Dwyer suggested Ideal Desire would be a nice option and it went from there.

“Graham said she went better at Albion Park, compared to Redcliffe, so it is hard go away from what he said,” James said.

“He's a good bloke, Graham. I just gave him a call and he said "I've probably got one here for you".

“I didn't even look the horse up or anything, I just took his word as I'd never even heard of the horse.

“I just said no worries. She's good, she's just an easy horse and she’s very straightforward.

“We've got some paddocks and stuff like acreage here. I think she likes being out in the paddock, which they told me that she would, so that was good. She's pretty easy.”

Premier Brisbane reinsman Nathan Dawson drove Ideal Desire to victory by almost five metres on Friday.

James is the son of Leigh Wanless who has a long history in both codes of racing as a driver, trainer and owner.

James trained gallopers across 2021 and 2022 and produced four winners on the country and provincial circuit.

Before his short stint in the galloping code, James drove and trained pacers with success like many members of his famous family in his younger years. 

As well as his father Leigh, James' grandfather Merv trained champion pacer Lucky Creed while Ron Wanless is also a celebrated owner in both codes.

Leigh is still preparing a small team of thoroughbreds and took runners to Nanango on Saturday afternoon.

James is smiling to be back around the pacers.

“It's just a hobby,” he said.

“It's in the family. You sort of go back to it. It's just been in our family for quite some time, so it's good to keep it going.

“Even though we’ve only got one or two horses, it's still good to sort of be a little bit associated with it.

“It's a bit of a talking point in our family, too. The old boys love it, my Dad loves talking about it all.”

James and Leigh, who is 80 years of age, prepare their teams from the same property just outside of Maryborough.

The harness trainer will make the long drive back to Albion Park again soon in search of another victory with Ideal Desire.

“It would just be the same sort of race that she won the other day, that she would start in again,” he said.

“She tried hard and she's a hard trying little thing and that's what you can ask for, really.

“In her own right, she's competitive and that's all I wanted.”