With the feature race train moving from Victoria through to New South Wales throughout the first half of 2022, its now Queensland’s time in the sun with the TAB Constellations only a few weeks away from officially beginning.
Despite the first of the Group 1s still being three weeks away, many of the southern raiders have started their campaigns early with the likes of the McCarthys and Rickie Alchin already there with large numbers and high-quality stock across several classes.
This Saturday night will see many top pacers line up in the Group 3 Flashing Red Handicap from the standing start tapes over the Blacks A Fake distance of 2647m.
Many of this week’s major fancies raced under the same conditions last Saturday when the track record was broken by MACH SHARD, who came from a long way off the leaders on the home turn.
It was an ominous sign ahead of this week’s feature race, even though coming off a 20m handicap in a capacity field is never easy.
The open class contests are set to get more serious over the next two months, with the Group 1 $100,000 Redcliffe Cup only three weeks away before the $150,000 Sunshine Sprint and $350,000 Blacks A Fake wrap-up the carnival.
The current TAB favourite for the Blacks A Fake on July 23 is SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS and he will have a trial later this afternoon (Friday) at Albion Park before plotting a path back to the races.
The biggest market mover has been the returning JILLIBY KUNG FU. Already $51 into $9 and now operating on the third line of betting, his successful return last week signalled a positive start to his comeback campaign.
Speaking of the Queensland Carnival, several of the key chances in Saturday night’s JD Watts Memorial at Menangle will also be putting their cases forward for a winter working holiday.
Past New Zealand Cup winner and millionaire CRUZ BROMAC will be looking to successfully kick-start his campaign despite drawing wide in the mile feature.
Trialling last Wednesday in a 1.52.3min mile rate, he will give away race fitness to the likes of ALTA ORLANDO and ZEUSS BROAMAC, who are also likely to head north during the next few months.
Other highlights on Saturday night’s card include a strong three-year-old contest featuring the likes of DUGEE SLOY and BLACK ONYX, as well as the $25,000 3yo Trotters Foundation Final where flying filly TOUGH LOVE will prove incredibly hard to defeat.
MAJESTUOSO has already banked more than $300,000 this season in only six race day attempts and he will power up for another campaign this weekend.
The six-year-old was set down to trial on Tuesday but has shown Andy Gath enough at home to suggest that he is set to run a big race first-up fresh.
In a small field of just nine starters, the pocket-rocket squaregaiter will have to overcome a second row draw in the Lenin Trotters Free For All, with the likes of ULTIMATE STRIDE and CHISSY looking his biggest threats from the front row.
Majestuoso is being set for a Queensland carnival hit-and-run mission and it is likely his stablemate TANGO TARA will act as a travelling companion and target some open class features.
BEST of the weekend – R8 N9 @ Melton Saturday Majestuoso
VALUE of the weekend – R6 N10 @ Albion Park Saturday Blacksadance
Brittany Graham is a regular host on Sky Racing and the Sky Racing Active app, plus In The Gig with Ben Way and Gareth Hall every Tuesday night on Sky Racing 2 from 6pm.
The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.
