Dashman's harness look ahead - April 2

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

The Easter weekend brings plenty of harness racing action in Queensland.

There will be Saturday’s Albion Park metropolitan fixture before the 2026 Goldstrike Final will be held on Sunday at Marburg.

The Goldstrike race is developing into the flagship event for the Marburg club since the inaugural running in 2018.

SATURDAY SPECIAL

Race four - Im The Falcon. Barrier one is a huge asset for the Chantal Turpin-trained gelding after single file order last week behind champion Leap To Fame made it impossible for those chasing.

MARBURG MAIL 

Race nine - Lulu Lucifer. The Loal Weidemann-trained mare was a tough winner at the track two starts back. The gate is a huge advantage.

GUS AND THE JANITOR TACKLE CAMBRIDGE

The main target in New Zealand is next week for Gus and The Janitor in The Trot and The Race, respectively.

The Chantal Turpin-trained pair will start at Cambridge this Thursday to prepare for Champions Night.

Gus has drawn outside the front line in the field of seven in the Waikato Trotters Flying Mile and The Janitor will start from barrier six in the Pacers Flying Mile.

Gus ran fourth last start behind star Keayang Zahara in the Hammerhead Mile at Menangle.

Gus produced a sizzling 1.53.9 trial last week to prepare for his second trip back to New Zealand.

The Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett-trained Hillbilly Blues has opened favourite.

The gelding beat a similar field at Group 1 level at Auckland back in December in the Peter Breckon Memorial.

Tony Herlihy will again drive the gelding who has been unplaced in two runs back from a spell.

The other main threat is Oscar Bonavena who has drawn in gate six.

The Janitor heads the market in the Pacers Flying Mile off the back of his narrow second behind Leap To Fame in the Miracle Mile at Menangle.

The five-year-old faces a stern test in a high-quality field that includes Sooner The Bettor, Akuta, Republican Party and Merlin.

MARBURG TO STRIKE GOLD

Following three heats of the Marburg Goldstrike Series, this Sunday’s Final promises to be another keenly contested event.

Tim Gillespie trained and drove the inaugural Goldstrike champion Majordoit in 2018 and will be back attempting to win the race again with Getagrip.

The younger brother of Majordoit, Getagrip was able to lead throughout in the third heat with Nathan Dawson taking the reins.

Angus Garrard has been booked for the decider, with Getagrip to start from a 20-metre handicap.

Lola Weidemann trained and drove Ghost Gum to a Goldstrike victory in 2020 and will partner the in-form Jekamias for this year’s race following victory in the second heat.

Stepping cleanly and sent straight to the front, Jekamias equalled the 2200 metre standing start track record with his 1.57.7 win and will face a 10-metre handicap on Sunday. 

Merge Right will contest a second Goldstrike Final for trainer Peter Greig after winning the first heat as a short price favourite for driver Nathan Dawson.

The mare was unplaced in the 2024 edition, which was won by Mydadsaid.

Dawson has opted to take the drive aboard the seven-year-old for this year’s race with the mare set to start from the front line.

A unique aspect of the Goldstrike comes into play for the Final.

After all runners started from the front tape in the heats, they are handicapped relative their NR assessment for the Final.

DIXON TEAM TO DOMINATE

Competing in many of the same races throughout their three-year-old season, the Grant Dixon-trained Fate Awaits and Path To Greatness are both back in winning form already this season.

Although the talented pair have avoided each other at this point, they are likely to meet during the Queensland Constellations where both will target further feature race glory.

Path To Greatness will contest the Jack and Kay Waltisbuhl Memorial this Saturday night, while Fate Awaits should dominate a qualifying pace.

A winner in two of three starts since resuming in a heat of the Ultimate Driver Championship, Path To Greatness was far too classy in a qualifying pace last start.

Sent straight to the front, the gelding controlled the 2138 metre event, putting the race out of reach for the chasing pack with a 54.5 second closing half.

If there is any competition in this week’s assignment it will be Buddy Perfect in gate one.

Buddy Perfect attacked the line strongly last week.

Applied was able to lead throughout but faces a tough gate this week.

Fate Awaits will be second-up this week following a strong first up victory over 2647 metres.

That was a midweek standing start event.

Grant Dixon pounced on an early lead and from the front, he was able to unleash a sizzling 26.4 second closing quarter for an effortless victory.

Although drawn awkwardly in gate five, Fate Awaits should be far too classy for his rivals, with the obvious danger appearing to be his stablemate Tyson.

However, he draws wider in gate six.

Fate Awaits should have little trouble in making it two from two in 2026.