Stars step forward ahead of Queensland Constellations

By Darren Clayton

Constellations hopefuls stepped up preparations during a busy weekend of racing across the eastern seaboard ahead of Saturday’s Carnival opener at Redcliffe.

Complementing all the metropolitan action, there were several country track winners in Victoria and New South Wales that are Queensland bound.

MENANGLE/NSW

Russel Jack produced a two-state double on Saturday night with both in the mix to tackle Group 1 features on July 4.

Jacks Ultimate Fury was forced to sit parked at Menangle from gate 7 yet still proved too smart for his rivals with a career best 1.50.3 victory.

Finishing third in The Rising Sun last season as a three-year-old, the talented gelding may well have earnt another shot at the race.

Jason Grimson produced four winners across Menangle and Albion Park, with his star mare Tokyo Rose claiming a fifth Menangle victory.

Partnered by Cam Hart, the six-year-old indicated she is on target for the Golden Girl on ID Grand Final night with a 1.50.1 mile.

Ubetcha Tigerpie claimed a second win for the season when resuming from a spell for trainer/driver Michael Stanley with an impressive win over 2300 metres.

Ranked ninth for the Inter Dominion, the seven-year-old gelding defeated a deep field in strong time, with the first four across the line all likely to be in Queensland over the carnival.

Double Lou was also resuming from a spell, and connections would be buoyed by a second-place finish with The Rising Sun firmly in their sights.

Another pair of Rising Sun hopefuls finished third and fourth respectively, Marketplace finishing 3.3-metres from the winner with Seasider just a further half-head away.

Stanley will likely have a spot on the truck north for three-year-old colt Soho Charmer which scored impressively fresh up in a new best of 1.51.4.

Two-year-old colt Don Hunter confirmed that he will be a force in The Protostar following his victory in the APG Final for Luke McCarthy.

Starting a prohibitive short-priced elect, Don Hunter worked forward in the small field of six and was never in danger with a 1.53.4 win.

Swift Code was a winner at Bathurst on Wednesday night, with Bernie Hewitt now keen to get the filly to Queensland, starting this week with a shot at the Redcliffe Oaks.

At Wagga, star three-year-old Hollywood Strip continued his winning ways for Brad Hewitt with a sizzling 1.50.9 rate when demolishing his rivals.

Hewitt also prepared Yirradiva to victory earlier on the card in a smart 1.52.3, the filly earning herself an Oaks campaign.

MELTON/VICTORIA 

Lovemeto was back in winning form for Chris Svanosio and driver Kerryn Manning at Melton on Saturday night, with several Inter Dominion hopefuls contesting the open trot.

Working to the front from the widest gate, Lovemeto held on to win by a head margin over Keayang Stuka, with Im Booby, Remus Phoenix and Aldebaran Acrux all finishing unplaced.

Keayang Stuka looks set to be the lone trotting ID hopeful for Marg and Paddy Lee following the withdrawal of Jilliby Ballerini and Imperial Monarch across the weekend.

Russell Jack and son Nathan combined with Crackerjack which was successful, scoring in smart time.

The four-year-old trotter will be chasing a start in The Great Square following the impressive effort which was the gelding’s first Australian start.

Emma Stewart is set to have big numbers descend on The Creek for the Constellations and Cigano may just have forced his way into that team.

Contesting the inaugural The Protostar back in 2024, the now four-year-old rated 1.52.9 when making his first start since last October, finishing strongly from back in the pack to score.

Two-year-old filly Comeandsee secured her spot in The Protostar for the Stewart stable with victory at Ballarat in the Rising Star last Thursday.

Remaining undefeated after three starts, the filly led throughout and produced a slick 26.7 closing panel, claiming the BDTC slot with the victory.

ALBION PARK

It was only a field of six that contested Saturday night’s three-year-old event at The Creek, but it will be a race with strong form referencing over the coming weeks.

Alwaysbjoy landed in the trail and when angled into the passing lane, sprinted hard to claim victory. The Turpin-trained filly will start her Constellations assault this Saturday in the Redcliffe Oaks

Fire And Passion finished second after leading them up and like the winner will head to Redcliffe this week, tackling the Derby.

The Bernie Hewitt trained and driven Yottie could be the one with the most upside out of the race, finishing third but would lose no admirers with the effort.

First up since late March, the gelding sat parked and did a mountain of work, ultimately finishing just 2 metres from the winner which rated 1.50.7, highlighted by a sizzling 53.8 closing half.

Final Deadline could potentially be the best four-year-old in Queensland and demonstrated that he will be a force in The Rising Sun following his victory on Saturday night.

Blessed with electric gate speed, Adam Sanderson took the gelding straight to the front and run his rivals off their legs, recording a 53.3 last half.

The Shannon Price-trained gelding will start his Constellations with this week’s Redcliffe Cup.