Catch up on the week’s harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
THE GOOD
Week one of the Queensland Constellations saw Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen secure feature race success at Group 2 level, and the pair were able to step it up on night two, claiming Group 1 glory along with a treble on the night.
Four-year-old gelding Wisper A Secret came with a well-timed run to arrive in the closing strides for victory in the Racing and Sports The Rising Sun, holding a half-head margin over a brave Don Hugo for trainer/driver Luke McCarthy.
With the fourth running of The Rising Sun, Turpin was able to even the score for Queensland trainers, with the past two editions won by the home state, Wisper A Secret joining Leap To Fame on the honour roll.
Bred and owned by Taree dairy farmer Doug Johnston, the win vindicates a decision to turn down a lucrative offer from North America to buy the classy gelding some 12-months ago.
It is also a good change of fortune for Johnston whose dairy farm was devastated in early 2021 when one of the worst floods to hit the mid-North Coast of New South Wales swept through the family property.
Gaining one of the last invites into The Rising Sun, the son of Huntsville was positioned in the running line before McMullen angled three-wide with 1000 metres to travel.
Moving up strongly as Don Hugo moved to the lead at the 600, it developed into a two-horse battle over the closing stages, as McMullen and McCarthy each urged towards the finishing post.
With the closing splits in 27.4 and 27.7, it was Wisper A Secret that was able to finish best to grab the Group 1 victory, with Aroda a further two metres away in third.
“It’s very special. It’s a horse that we broke in, we’ve had him all the way through,” McMullen said after the win
“Chantal has done a wonderful job getting him spot on tonight. He failed at his last start, but she turned him back around.
“All his career he has raced pretty well fresh, and we were pretty happy to get the invite last week. We had to miss the Queensland Sun which kind of threw a spanner in the works, but it all worked out for the better.”
Training and driving honours went to the Tupin/McMullen team, starting the night with victory for another Taree dairy farmer, John Polson, when Attachment finished best to claim the South East Derby Consolation.
The pair then combined to claim the South East Oaks with the impressive Kiwi import, Aardie B Miki, which was able to find the front from gate seven and lead throughout to score impressively.
It was the fourth Group 1 success for both Chantal and Pete, their third combined, and the way their stable is performing, there is every chance it will not be the last in this Constellations Carnival.