Marburg Weekend Roundup

Marburg Harness News May 20
Winners are grinners and none more than the Rosewood Royal George Hotel publican Bob Barrett after his debut winner Semiprecious, a 5yo mare by Strong Life, purchased at a recent Marburg/Willwin Auction for a reasonable price by the amicable hotelier.

Trained by experienced Rosewood identity Steve Benham and reined by the “Rocklea Rocket”, leading lightweight and energetic Dave Litzow to an impressive win, the mare will give connection many more reason to celebrate at the racing bar and lounge of the historic pub of Rosewood.

Robert Barrett was seen to his generous best along with the hotel patrons and staff in gathering donations and support for Dave’s young lad Liam, in a roof raising night and mega raffle to raise the extra funds for his life style needs and medical attention, because of a serious medical condition which will affect his quality of life unless he gets plenty of care and family supervision.

As they say, what comes around comes around and in this case the rewards of winning a race for Bob is a great reason to celebrate with his mates.

I’m told the Benham boys are in the middle of passing on their years of knowledge and experience on to Bob, as he has a strappers license in his possession to be big part of the harness racing scene.

You never know, it might be, R Barrett in the drivers list one day at races at Marburg Showgrounds on a well-backed Steve Benham trained pacer.

Just on David Litzow, there is no better exponent of the Rocklea circuit than Dave with his smart front running tactics and his gentle approach to getting the horse away from the standing start.

From a great family steeped in trotting as they called it, in the show racing and Saturday afternoon Ipswich Showgrounds racedays, the Litzow are part and parcel of fast horses from the stand and clever front running displays that has the other drivers guessing all the way.

The MPA is attracting large numbers of horses each Sunday and education periods indicate the horse numbers have not dropped over the last few months and the quality of runners look strong for the punting public to follow.

Young John Robson at the showgrounds does an excellent job on the track conditioning and watering in these tough economic times and he spends the most amount of time I have ever seen on the track by a track curator.

The results in the times on a Sunday morning by winners, is an indication of the track work done by John during the week and on Sundays where all the unseen track grading and care is done.

Marburg Harness News - May 14
Marburg and surrounding areas have become a synonymous name in harness racing like Bathurst, Wagga and Shepparton that are well-known as places of the life of harness racing and where the winners come from in the industry.

Pick up the race results each day and you will find at least one winner from the Marburg / Ipswich area that has either trial at the Marburg Showgrounds or worked there during the week.

The trainers that use the 28 year old Marburg Pacing Association Inc membership and training benefits in our area make up more than a fifth of the registered licensees in Queensland and the same applies for the drivers in harness racing.

The local economy relies heavily on these people and their new –found clients and owners who have stayed and came to the area to live and work, because of their family pastime pleasure and quality of life living.

Trial mornings at Marburg Showgrounds on Sunday mornings starting at 8am running to about 11am is informative and a pleasure to watch and best of all it is a free entertaining morning out in the brisk fresh country air of a great sporting facility where you can park your car to watch or go to the grandstand to get a better view.

MPA’s Cadillac Café is renowned for the friendly service and quality of food given by the volunteer girls in making your morning at the trials a delightful and a friendly meeting place under the awning to discuss your thoughts and opinions of the horses and drivers trialing.

Willwin Auctions held another successful sale of gear and equipment, plus racing stock to a large wide-ranging crowd from far and wide, after the trials finished.

Future winners and valuable gear were sold by Lou Cini after which he and family adjourned to the Marburg Hotel for a Mothers Day lunch with some clients from the sale and members of the association.

Congratulations to the recent winners from the trial track and the owners who are a very important part of our industry and association.

Shane Sanderson of Gatton is going from strength to strength with his team pacers, they are mostly younger horses starting from the breaking in stage to race winning in Shane’s stable.

Maywyn is the pre-fix of his main stable client Bob Essex’s race horses, he race has raced horses as a long time faithful stable client of Shane from his days at Redcliffe.

His son Chris has the popular greyhound products and sponsorship of the lure and starting boxes at the dog racetrack and has now involved himself into the harness racing supplement products range under Equine 1 and this can be viewed his website, with links from the Bigdog Pet Food site.
Maywyn Storm, a 2yo gelding by Blissfull Hall took out Race 1 on the Gold Coast program after a well-driven race by Natalie Rasmussen in behind the leader and using the sprint lane to sneak up the inside to win decisively.

Also on the program, Fernvale dynamo Darrel Graham was the winning trainer for 2 winners, 3yo gelding Despereaux by the deceased Atom Away and owned by Dotcom Internet Ltd, but driven by Chris Petroff and the Darrel Graham driven 4yo mare Phoebster by Presidential Ball for the same connections. Both of these females are half-sisters, being from She’s Out.
Woodlea Glenn winning at Gold Coat last Friday night for driver Kelli Dawson and backing up again to win on Tuesday at Albion Park was great tonic for part-owner Jeff Wallace of Raceview, who has a recent stay in St Andrews, but apparently he is now back at work with the vigor of an apprentice cabinet maker.

One for the ladies was the win last Friday night at Gold Coast, by trainer/driver Ann Manwarring with her and Lee Woldt’s 2yo gelding by sire Partywiththebigdog from their great racemare Megsamillion (winner of 7 races/ dam of Lost Artefact), the sub 2:00 winner Crackerofaparty, after working the leader hard and holding on strongly.

They are great people and no better supporters of the Marburg organisation than the Manwarrings and their families and friends fro m the beginning of the MPA.

Lot 1 - 2yo gelding Sacrificial - Sacred Site x Melton Rostov
Dam by Bonamax from Lordship mare Countess Rostov (dam of Takem Easy 1:58.2, 13 wins), Melton Soprano (dam of Black Max 1:57.5. 17 wins and Soprano Girl 1:59.1, 10 wins). Family of Alta Serena 1:56.6 (multiple class wins). Paid up and eligible for 2009 Redcliffe 2yo Sales Classic.

Lot 2 – 3yo Un-Named - As Promised x Shes Blushing 2:03.4, 6wins, by Able Bye Bye
Half-sister to Arrowhara 1:57, 15wins & Mauresmo 1:58.8, 4 wins. Family of winners with added bonus of the Able Bye Bye broodmare’s great crosses. Family of proven broodmare Joytime and the great mare Joyable 1:59.7, 23 wins and former sire Dojea Bye Bye 2:01,7, 23 wins are relatives.

Lot 3 – 5yo mare Last Ditch 2:04.3 - Davids Pass x Waratah Belle by Torado Hanover
Dam, sister to 5 winners including, Odds Torado 1:57.6, 20 wins, Classic Cheval 1:58.4, 20 wins and Fashion Nugget 2:03.4 (winner producing mare).Only had a few starts in Queensland showing good form, 1win and 7 placings, currently racing.

Lot 4 - 4yo mare Diamond Doc - Stand Forever 1:49.4 x Diamond Glow 1:57.4TT - Andrel
3rd Parkes & 4th Gold Coast 2 starts ago, from a few starts. Dam ½ sister to 3 winners including Copper Glow 1:54, 22wins. Lot 4 is half-sister to Diamond Albert, 6wns. Sire is by Dragons Lair x Niajet by Niatross, a great broodmare of the future.

Lot 5 - 7yo mare Dixie Meehan 2:01.8 - Topnotcher x Taefa by Langus Hanover
2 wins, 6 placings in good company. Full-sister to 4 winners including Jimmy Cook 1:58.6, 13 wins and Cook Town (racing well in Sydney). Currently racing and good from mobile and standing starts, she won at Gold Coast in February 2009. Mare is by a noted Abercrombie sire of progeny who race on and dam is by tough sire Langus Hanover.

Lot 6 - 9yo gelding Ton Of Trouble 2:01.4 - Troublemaker x Afton Glade
7wins, 10 placings, good mobile and stands, won and placed at Gold Coast.
Solid, easy to drive gelding from a wealth of winning family, half-brother to 5 winners including Very Tricky 1:59.8 , 33 wins and Aftoodo. 2:01.9, 26 wins.

Marburg Harness Racing News
Sunday May 10 will be the return of the work-out and organised conditioning trials at Marburg starting at 8am after the 2yo education period.

Marburg President Russell Lehmann wishes to notify interested harness racing spectators of the popular Willwin Auction to be conducted from 9:30am with new and used gear and equipment up for sale by Lou Cini. A large number of horses in all classes and age groups are listed for sale from about 10:15am.

Many winners and plenty of bargains have been purchased from these sales over the last 4 years and the MPA is proud to have Lou and family at the Marburg Showgrounds, as they are a staunch sponsor and supporter of the association and business people of the area.

Patrons of the Sunday trials will enjoy the usual BBQ and breakfast from 8am and partake of the delights of the Cadillac Café, where the girls of the MPA are ken volunteers and willing workers for the care and feeding of the harness racing combatants and spectators.
Hometurn Bar will operate from 10am from the Café counter with Cliff King.

Education from the stand and mobile will be run early, then stands and mobile trials take the track with caller Dean Jones doing the honors in the Rod Hill Stand, for the punters looking for a future winner or a longshot for the trifecta.

The association invites Sunday morning visitors for a nice quiet morning out in the country for the these trial mornings, where you can have a very cheap relaxing morning, meeting and enjoying the company of friends in the grandstand and getting light refreshments from the girls in the Café and buying a raffle ticket or two, to support the association in its quest to run trials every Sunday and run a raceday event or two during the year.
MPA would like to see fans and past harness racing race goers at the trials and so build the atmosphere and friendly nature of Marburg at the Showgrounds on a Sunday.
The association is anxious to meet or have volunteers join in on a Sunday morning as members, so the licensees can continue to trial their horses and run the association’s duties as per the requirements of the HRQ.

Russell Lehmann is available to talk to on any Sunday or check in on Cliff King at the nominations office for the membership form, with the next season starting on July 1.
Keep an eye on new horses from the Ricky Gordon, Darrel Graham and Shaun Gillespie stables, all three stables are professional in their turn-outs and are always driven to win with perfection.

Driver Scott Neaves is on fire at the moment and with a little luck in running, he is always a fair bet to get the money if the horse is good enough. Scott and Tess Neaves are doing a superb job at Lake Claredon with a team of pacers of only average ability and will be happy to take on better horses when presented to them.

Marburg Harness News
Marburg showgrounds track & facilities are closed to harness racing training and trialing from Thursday April 30, to Monday May 4 for the Marburg Show events and show clean –up.
No trials conducted or work education on the track on Sunday May 3 with MPA Official trials also cancelled. MPA Committee……........

Willwin Auction - Marburg Showgrounds-Sunday MAY 10 (Mothers Day)
Horse /Gear Auction * 9:30am gear first.
Auction starts after MPA workouts, trials. Good food and cold/hot drinks from the Cadillac Café. Horses & gear bookings, call Lou Cini 0409 590 351. New/used harness is booked, but more gear is needed. Horses of all classes are required for bookings!

Willwin Auctions are Queensland’s most successful Standardbred Queensland horse sales company. Call Lou 0409 590 351 to book, auctions cater for mates & family for a day out at trot trials & horse sales, in Marburg off Queen Street, Sunday May 10.

Marburg the place for winners
Marburg Sunday trials are rolling along at a great rate with quick time and fast horses going on to the racetrack to record goods odds for the trial followers and track clockers.

Magnificent triallers like The Fourth Bay and Hanky Panky in local stables, with in-form stables of Scott Neaves, Ricky Gordon and Tim Gillespie as they are giving punters a fair run for their money at the races.

Here and There
Ernie Anforth (Rocket Harness Man) has been on the ill list, and we at the association hope he recovers soon for duty at the trials with the mobile starts, but it is good to see Shayne doing the trial driving duties.

MPA President Russell Lehmann has returned from holidays with a nice tan and is ready to go chaffing again.

The trials have a good volunteer base of men and women, who are always ready to make the trial morning a pleasant one, so please give them a smile and a thank you for their concern and help.