Harness racing: Queensland pair too good for Kiwis but greater challenge awaits

Gus overpowered Johnny Who late at Cambridge on Thursday night. Photo/HRNZ

Queensland harness star Pete McMullen knows good will have to become great if he is to leave Cambridge next Friday still unbeaten.

Because while Gus and The Janitor were excellent beating the Kiwis for McMullen and wife Chantal Turpin in two open-class sprints on Thursday night, the real challenges lie ahead on the Night Of Champions back at the same track next Friday.

McMullen drove two perfect races to get Gus and The Janitor home in their respective Flying Miles on Thursday night, as well as an all-the-way catch drive victory on Beta Prepare to make him one of the few Australians to ever drive a treble at a New Zealand race meeting.

Gus was aided by the two other favourites, Oscar Bonavena and Hillbilly Blues, competing in the Trotter’s Mile, but he still had to be wonderful to overcome a check of his own at the 400m mark and run down leader Johnny Who.

“He went super,” said McMullen.

“But we know next Friday is going to be so much tougher against Keayang Zahara.

“She will draw inside us, and I suppose what we do will come down to how hard she has to work to get the lead.

“He was very good when driven with a sit last night, but if she leads easily then maybe we have to make a move next week.

“Obviously it is going to be a very, very hard race to win, but we couldn’t be happier with our horse.”

The couple were also stoked with The Janitor after McMullen got the drive inch-perfect right to win the Pacer’s Mile by moving down the straight the first time to sit parked, with the 54.4 second last 800m meaning nothing really made ground from that mark on.

The Janitor was brave though, and too good for Sooner The Bettor, who trailed stablemate Merlin, who was okay after working slightly harder to lead than his driver Zachary Butcher would have liked.

“He was really good, but again next week everything goes up a level,” said McMullen.

“I have been trying to beat Leap To Fame for years with all types of horses and still haven’t got him.

“I’d love to get in front of him at some stage next Friday, but there is also Swayzee and Kingman to think about.

“I think our horse can show more gate speed than he did last night because I was quite casual behind the gate, but the draw on Tuesday will be crucial.”

With The Janitor clearly the best run of the lead-up race, and four more Aussies either better or at least as good coming to join him in The Race by Sport Nation next Friday, it is incredibly hard to make a case for any of the locals.

Trainer Mark Purdon confirmed Akuta will take his spot even though he was only okay on Thursday, Purdon suggesting he can improve for next week.

And co-trainer Cran Dalgety says he is happy enough with Republican Party, but at the same time acknowledges the enormity of next Friday’s challenge.

“When you run seventh of seven it doesn’t look great, but it was that sort of race,” says Dalgety.

“His recovery was the best it has been on this northern trip, and after a bit of a lull with a few minor bugs we think he is on the way back up.

“But he will need to be because the big boys all arrive next Friday.”


The fields for the two slot races will be rubber-stamped over the weekend, with the all-important barrier draw on Tuesday, and will be shown as part of a 90-minute Box Seat special on Trackside.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s racing editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.