The biggest three weeks of Queensland’s fantastic winter racing are yet to come, but there’s already been plenty of drama and controversy.
The three biggest pacing guns – Leap To Fame, Swayzee and Frankie Ferocious - of the Queensland Constellations have all been in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
First came Leap To Fame’s shock defeat, which ended a rampaging 13-race winning streak, in the Patrons Purse at Redcliffe a few weeks back.
Incredibly, just 24 hours later, his older half-brother and arch-rival Swayzee was rundown by lesser-performed stablemate Nerano at Albion Park.
The much-anticipated third clash between Leap To Fame and Swayzee in the Redcliffe Cup on June 29 was over before it started.
Swayzee was sick and needed some treatment, while Leap To Fame’s connections baulked at a 30m handicap and bypassed the race.
Chariots Of Fire winner Frankie Ferocious, who rivals Swayzee for top billing in Jason Grimson’s stable, threw the greatest spanner in the works yet when he flopped first-up at Albion Park last Saturday.
After stunning trial wins at Menangle and Albion Park, the brilliant four-year-old was expected to win as he liked and underline his commanding favouritism for next Saturday’s $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun and the $2.1mil TAB Eureka.
He did anything but.
Driver Cam Hart bustled Frankie Ferocious out from a wide draw, but once he found the front it looked “race over.”
But just when most expected Hart to let him loose rounding the final bend, Frankie Ferocious was under pressure and dropped out sharply to beat just one runner home. He finished almost 16m from winner Deus Ex.
The stewards noted Frankie Ferocious over-raced noticeably in front and Hart reported he lost a shoe in running. It was also found he had a small stone lodged between his hoof and another shoe.
He was $1.70 to win next Saturday’s Rising Sun before the defeat, but how do we assess him now?
Will he even run?
Racing has and continues to remind us it is folly to judge a horse on one run. They are, after all, animals and just like people can have an “off day.”
Even the greatest we have now, Leap To Fame is a case in point. Clearly wasn’t quite himself when rundown by District Attorney.
When they met again last Saturday night in the Wondais Mate, Leap To Fame had a much harder run than he did at Redcliffe and toyed with District Attorney.
Can Swayzee rebound in similar fashion in Saturday night?
After all, he was only narrowly beaten by Nerano last time and was found to have raced with a cold.
It adds another dimension to what will likely be just the third time Swayzee has met his younger half-brother, Leap To Fame.
Grant Dixon will make a final call today, but is leaning strongly towards running Leap To Fame again this week.
The score is 1-1, but Leap To Fame goes primed and Swayzee with a slight question mark.
Regardless, it will be an unexpectedly exciting addition to next week’s Rising Sun meeting and a tantalising entrée to a Blacks A Fake rematch between the two siblings on July 27.
But it is Frankie Ferocious and the Rising Sun which stirs the most intrigue.
Will he even run? We will know later today (Monday). And, if he does, do we just put a line through last Saturday night?
A race which almost looked his for the keeping is now wide open.
Just when it seemed good news for emerging Victorian Captain Hammerhead, trainer-driver David Moran was forced to this week's Brisbane trip when the four-year-old fell ill.
But there are stIll plenty of Victorians heading to or already in Queensland for the next big three Saturdays.
Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin’s team has been reduced with The Lost Storm and Perfect Class staying home. They’ll still have Very Pretty (Oaks), Bay Of Biscay and Some American (Derby), The Highlight Reel and Cigano (Protostar) and Ladies In Red (Golden Girl).
Hesitate (Damien Burns) and Forty Love (Aaron Dunn) are the other Victorians in the Protostar.
David Miles (Rockinwithattitude) and Kate Hargraves (Ludacrous) launched their campaigns last Saturday night.
While John Justice is heading back up with his star trotter Mufasa Metro, who ran second in the Brisbane Inter Dominion final (to Just Believe) the last time he raced at Albion Park.
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.
