Enjoy the top trots show at Marburg

They present another opportunity for the young drivers to gain race experience in front of a crowd.

QT trot columnist and harness racer Denis Smith. Picture: David Nielsen

TROTS will be a highlight of today's Marburg Show.

The Marburg Pacing Association, in conjunction with Garrards Horse and Hound and the Show Society, have six exhibitions from 2pm to 4pm.

These events will be boosted by three mini trotters events, which are great entertainment for adults and kids alike.

Furthermore, they present another opportunity for the young drivers to gain race experience in front of a crowd.

Come early and catch this.

Show trots are on the way back at Marburg.

Labour Day meeting success

LAST Monday's Labour Day Family race meeting proved to be a success with a solid crowd in attendance, full fields and exciting racing.

It seems that by going the extra yard to ensure that your patrons are well looked after, with children's entertainment, good, beverage and an eye to reasonable prices, there are rewards in country racing.

Marburg Pacing Association officials are determined to be a solid spoke in the wheel of Queensland trotting.

Splendid initiatives

RECENT history can be a funny thing. It is said that it is a useful tool, allowing us to learn from our mistakes, while we still have enough time to turn a loss into a profit.

Tonight at Albion Park, we have the Q-Bred segment of the Winter Carnival, where the pick of our 2-3 and 4yo colts geldings, fillies and mares do battle for what are, in anyone's estimation, quite modest stakes.

I was present at the first harness yearling sale, which was held at Albion Park in early 1979, and less than 50 juveniles went under the hammer.

Out of this humble sale grew two splendid initiatives.

One was the Stallion based Q-Bred, where the male progenitor had to be physically resident in Queensland, and the resultant Triad Series, which featured Heats of $5000 raced as far north as Townsville. This culminated in semi-finals and finals in Brisbane for significant dollars and much kudos.

In the 1985/86 breeding season, there were 1530 foals on the ground and five commercially viable studs in operation in the state.

The end result of not knowing a good thing when you see it, is demonstrated tonight.

Home-bred reward

TRAINING horses seems to be much like riding a bike.

Once you have mastered the balance bit, you don't forget.

Redland Bay identity John Stariha, the first Queenslander to train an Inter-dominion heat winner on home soil (Scientific, driven by Ipswich star Des Weeks) has been keeping a low profile for a number of years.

In recent months he has dabbled with a maiden trotting mare Commissioned, which shows ability but needs more time.

Last Monday, John appeared at Marburg with yet another home-bred mare.

Overcommitted, a nine year old, was resuming from a 12 month spell.

Presented in first-class condition, the mare led early and was still there at the finish, winning narrowly but well.

Handy tips

SELECTIONS for Albion Park tonight.

R1: Quinella 2-13: Statement Made (A Sanderson) and Clintal Do (N Dawson).

R2: Quinella 1-8: Bonnie Jujon (G Dixon) and Jossie James (A Sanderson).

R3: Quinella 3-11: My Secret Torque (P McMullen) and Statement Please (A Sanderson).

R4: Box trifecta 3-4-6: Ark Patrol (G Dixon)-Headwin (T Moffat)-Herbs Hero (D Picker).

R5: Box trifecta in four 1-4-7-8: Red Charmer-Acqua Miss- Fame Assured-Getoutnwalk.

R6: Box trifecta 2-6-10: Majordoit (T Gillespie)-Colt Thirty One (G Dixon)-Only One Promise (A Sanderson).

R7: Box trifecta 1-4-9: Thats Bettor (A Sanderson)-Smart As Camm Be (K Rasmussen)-Timeless Appeal (P McMullen).

R8: box trifecta 1-3-7: Left A Terror (V Langdon)-RocknRoll Classic ( D McMullen)-Amillion Promises(A Sanderson).

R9: E/w 1: Cherrys The Best (G Dixon).

R10: Quinella 2-6: Surfer Joe (G Whitaker) and Forty Five Rock (Mark Dux).

Honour board

A significant "Ipswich factor'' of 37/53 was the highlight of this week's leaderboard with busy drivers to the fore. Top of the tree was Nathan Dawson, hitting a big six, while Chantal Turpin was top trainer. She duplicated last week's figure of three winners. Most pleasing was Famous Shoes for Mt Walker based Dale Belford with Leonard Cain in the sulky.

Albion Park, May 4: Headwin (Chris Petroff for Allan Godwin), Circle Line (Matt Elkins for Ron Wells), Heavens Hurrikane (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin), Majordoit (Tim Gillespie), Mach Sam (Taleah McMullen for Jack Butler), Parisian Rockstar (Nathan Dawson for Peter Greig), Statement Made (Adam Sanderson for Shannon Price).

Albion Park, May 5: Bettor Be Lucky (Adam Sanderson for Shannon Price), Remember Them (Nathan Dawson for Greg Franklin), Royal Counsel ( Jacob Wallace for Darrell Graham), Clintal Do (Nathan Dawson for Richard March), Bettor Than Special (Adam Sanderson for Shannon Price), The Harlem Hammer (Danielle McMullen for Doug Lee), Maretti (Danielle McMullen for Phil Mitchell).

Marburg, May 7: Skylahrain (Matt Elkins for Greg Elkins), Ole Sun (Hayden Barnes for Mal Charlton), My Secret Toque (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin), Liz Au Betty (Paul Diebert for Ray Cross), Jack Hammer (Chris Petroff for Trevor Lambourn), Fiery Blue Chip (Danielle McMullen), Elzboy (Paul Diebert for Steve Towns), Katniss (Nathan Dawson for Gary Gerrard).

Albion Park, May 8: Spud (Chris Petroff for Jay Edmunds), Cotton Cold Candy (Pete McMullen for Jason Carkeet), Bundaburra (Nathan Dawson for Christina Monte), Rory Mach (Nathan Dawson for Darrell Graham), The Harlem Hammer (Danielle McMullen for Doug Lee).

Redcliffe, May 9: Mr Meddle (Hayden Barnes), Sonny Orlando (Narissa McMullen for Julia Mason), Johnnycake (Adam Richardson for Steve Coombs), Mach Sam (Taleah McMullen for Jack Butler), Art Secret (Adam Richardson for Mitchell Dawson).

Redcliffe, May 10: Famous Shoes (Leonard Cain for Dale Belford), Doolittle Doofy (Matt Elkins for Ricky Hart), Parklane Lass (Adam Richardson for Lee Storie), Janies Got A Gun (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin), Soldier Of Fortune (Paul Diebert for Karen Schulz).

Originally published as Enjoy the top trots show at Marburg