Your best chance to have say on harness future

AN important meeting for harness folk will be held at Marburg Show hall on Monday night.

Picture: Rob Williams

AN important meeting for harness folk of all descriptions will be held at Marburg Show hall on Monday night at 7pm.

Member of Ipswich West Jim Madden has arranged for Racing Queensland CEO Brendan Parnell and general manager Adam Wallish to be in attendance.

Subjects to be discussed include a new venue and a possible location, as well as the immediate and general future of the Marburg Pacing Association.

Come along and bring your questions.

We need some answers in order to plan our future in harness.

Currently, there is a level of dissatisfaction in all bar the top 20 percent of the pyramid.

Everyone has a stake and should be heard.

Meanwhile, on the new development front, Racing Queensland has announced that it has engaged business maintenance and repair wizards KPMG to compile a list, assess, and no doubt value, all assets of Tier1 and Tier 2 TAB clubs.

This is not as simple as it sounds as many of the assets listed by the smaller clubs were purchased from club funds which were not derived from RQ and were owned by clubs, many years before the inception of RQ.

The current list at Marburg, updated just two weeks ago and lodged at the request of RQ, covered track and venue maintenance equipment and a new sound system.

An honest appraisal came to $93,000. But in a lengthy list, it will be difficult for KPMG to identify more than six items that relate to RQ funding.

Gold series looms

RACING at Marburg is at a standstill until early April when the Gold Strike Series (heats and final) will take place.

The big final is set for the traditional “Easter Sunday Fun Day” meeting.

The Marburg Pacing Association was fairly happy with the loss of February meetings as a major track re-surface had been scheduled.

If conducted early to mid-month, it would have allowed for the new material to compact and provide a long lasting and consistent race track.

The upgrade has been put back to after Easter, as, apparently, Sky Channel can provide no dates in March nor can RQ infrastructure.

We are now busy losing the on-course impetus gained on Australia Day and can only hope that the new faces who came on that day do not forget us.

Handy tips

SELECTIONS for Albion Park tonight.

R1: Box trifecta 1-2-8: Sole Ambition (L Manzelmann)-Our Major Day (D March)-Jumping Jolt (M Elkins).

R2: Quinella 1-8: Three Mugs In (N Dawson) and Maretti (R Maguire).

R3: Quinella 1-3: Maywyns Best (G Dwyer) and Hard To Hear (T Dawson).

R4: Quinella 2-4: Double Or Nothing (H Barnes) and Jamies Bad Boy (A Richardson).

R5: Quinella 6-7: Johnny White (A Richardson) and Cherrys The Best (T Dixon).

R6: E/w 2: Newmerella Sharkie (T Dawson).

R7: E/w 6: Casino Tommy (N Dawson).

R8: Box trifecta 1-4-9: Four Shares More Beers (T Dixon)-Reign On Me (P Diebert)-Northern Muscle (A Richardson).

R9: Quinella 1-7: Stoker Ace (P Diebert) and Outa The Blue (B Barnes).

R10: Quinella 1-3: Presley Be Good (N Dawson) and Slippery Jade (N Chalk).

Honour board

BIG change on the trainers side of the leaderboard this week with Trent Hodges earning his place in the sun by being the only local to find the winner’s circle on two occasions.

In the sulky sitting department, Narissa McMullen retained her form as leading driver with three wins. Hot in pursuit were Kelli Dawson, Lachie Manzelmann and Matt Elkins all on two wins apiece. Most pleasing were Trent Hodges and Bruce Whyborn (trainers) and driver Danny Gatt Bouquet. Ipswich factor: 20/50.

Albion Park, February 21: Mummys Boy (Chris Geary for Jay Edmunds).

Albion Park, February 22: Sole Ambition (Lachie Manzelmann for Donny Smith); Hard To Hear (Trent Dawson); Maywyns Courage (Kelli Dawson); Camroller (J Callaghan for Alex Johnstone); Living Grand (Hayden Barnes for Steve Furey).

Menangle (NSW): Watch Pulp Fiction (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin).

Redcliffe, February 23: Donny Jones (Narissa McMullen for Ron Wells); Dollar Bill (Angus Garrard for Kay Crone); Dartesian (Trent Hodges); Aunty Bessy (Matt Elkins for Donny Smith).

Albion Park, February 25: Garland Greene (Narissa McMullen for Steve Cini); Dataldo (Matt Elkins for Donny Smith); Recipe For Dreaming (Narissa McMullen for Richard Hutchinson).

Redcliffe, February 26: Lettucefirestar (Danny Gatt Bouquet for Ryan Veivers); Torquewithesteem (Lachie Manzelmann for Chantal Turpin); Rowdys Ace (Kelli Dawson for John McMullen); Its You Not Me (Noel Parrish for Trent Hodges).

Redcliffe, February 27: Tulhurst Kate (Nathan Dawson for David Russell); Sweet Jasmine (Nikki Chalk for Bill Crosby); Tascott Lady (Nathan Dawson for Bruce Whyborn).

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