In a week of floods, Inter-dominion Heats and the Albion Park Summer Carnival, several key issues relating to the viable future of Marburg, as a country harness racing entity, hit the table this week. Wednesday, December 1st saw the MPA take ownership of the on-course TAB facility, in its own right. Like a harness driver losing their “concessions”, we are now responsible for our own successes or lack of them. While it is very likely that the operation may run at a loss in the early stages, it will push the Club to provide an entertainment package aimed squarely at “numbers on course”. We operate in a very crowded market in our attempts to attract the punting dollar, and must lift our game accordingly.
By coincidence, or good fortune, directly the Club reps had finalised business with the Qld TAB, they sat down with Chantel Jackson, a lady who owns a business entitled “my local market”. Ms Jackson is an online and social media promotions fireball, and after a brief examination of the club’s marketing skills, pronounced them to be, at best, woeful, and in most areas, non-existent. A small think tank went into operation, and, some 90 minutes later, the two Club reps had provided a more fulsome picture of the Club’s marketing ineptitude, and a preliminary battle plan handed out n return. If the rest of our management team agree, Marburg Trots is about to be dragged into a profitable future via social media and TV.
Things tend to happen in threes, and the above was preceded two weeks prior, by a complaint from a “trot punter” that Marburg had no sprint lane, and, disadvantaged runners aside, the lack of a sprint lane, was costing us turnover. Having discussed the matter at Committee level it was decided to canvass licencees at a Marburg race meeting. The result was not as clear cut as might have been expected, with 10 definite “NOs” , 12 “undecided” and 19 “YES”. It was however, a good enough margin to get the matter to serious discussion at RQ level.
With RQ funds committed to three infrastructure projects, new canteen, new driver’s facility, and combined new Judges Box, Race Caller’s box and Stewards Room, Marburg is evolving, as a boutique racecourse. Its green backdrop provides the ideal setting for a horse race in the country!!
Narrissa McMullen in action..
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Catch up on the week’s harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton.
(Commence italics)... Saturday night’s action at The Creek started in a blaze of glory for the state’s leading female driver Narissa McMullen, and it continued on an upward trajectory. After just three races, McMullen had already completed a driving treble, proving untouchable in front with her drives all leading throughout in their respective races. The night started when Ideal World, a pacer she also trains, found the front over the 2138-metre trip soon after the field was released. Rating the pace in front with identical sectionals through the first two quarters of 30.3 seconds, Ideal World was able to dig deep with closing quarters of 27.4 and 28 flat to hold on for a half-head margin and repel Governor Jujon and Scarlet Babe with the victory.
Race two may have been over the shorter 1660-metre distance but the race result was a carbon copy of the opening event with victory going the way of a Narissa McMullen-trained and driven gelding sired by American Ideal. This time it was Streitkid that was able to lead all the way, with the six-year-old never in danger to claim the win in a 1.53.9 mile-rate and make it back-to-back Albion Park victories. With Italian Lad starting the odds-on favourite in race three, Narissa’s drive, Jumping Jack Jimmy, sat on the third line of the betting market at $5. However, it was déjà vu as Jumping Jack Jimmy was sent straight to the front, a position that he would not relinquish. Trained by Mark Rees, the gelding was able to bounce back to winning form in stylish fashion with the 1.53.9 winning mile-rate a new career benchmark for the eight-year-old. Close italics)
Big bounce back by Pete McMullen this week. In the sulky for no less than eleven winners in our reporting period. Holding down second place was Nathan Dawson, whose six winners, would normally put him right in the action. Another to see the bunny, and setting high figures at the same time, was Chantal Turpin, who trained the winners of seven races. Some effort!.. Most pleasing was Ben Battle, who put it all together, presenting no less than four runners, fit and ready to get the bikkies, which they did.! Ipswich Factor 34/55.
Resultsville.. Albion Park 26/11..Cheeseandkisses (Trent Dawson for Shane Fraser).. Scotch En Ice (Matt Elkins for Vic Frost).. Mollys Secret (Nathan Dawson for Shawn Grimsey).. Major Mischief (Nathan Dawson for Donny Smith).. Allstar Sea (Ben Battle).. She Reacts (Kelli Dawson for Geoff Dawson).. Albion Park 27/11.. Ideal World (Narissa McMullen).. Streit Kid (Narissa McMullen).. Jumpin Jack Jimmy (Narissa McMullen for Mark Rees).. Blacksadance (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin).. Scotts Rein (Taleah McMullen).. Big Wheels (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin).. Albion Park 29/11.. Aunty Emily (Steve Doherty for Mal Charlton).. Moresco (Shane Graham for Ryan Veivers).. Mister Decorum (Hayden Barnes for Dale Belford).. Thank Heaven For Girls (Pete McMullen for Dale Belford).. Speed Of Sound (Pete McMullen for Graham Dwyer).. Half Moon Beach (Pete McMullen for Graham Dwyer).. Ima Birubi Boy (Taleah McMullen for RyanVeivers).. Albion Park 30/11.. Alta Revelry (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin).. Flight Crew (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin)..Scotch En Ice (Matt Elkins for Vic Frost).. Redcliffe )01/12.. Little Change (Pete McMullen for Graham Dwyer).. Mach Torque (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin).. Fairiesdelight (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin).. Blackjewel (Nathan Dawson for John Cockburn).. Roses AreSweet (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin).. Dig Deep (Nathan Dawson for Dudley Warburton).. Jeremes Gotta Go (Matthew Neilson for Jason Carkeet).. Redcliffe 02/12.. Merge Right (Nathn Dawson for Peter Greig).. Headwin (Nathan Dawson for Ben Battle).. Datsinahurri (M Elkins for Donny Smith).. All Star Sea (Shane Graham for Ben Battle).. In The Paper (Shane Graham for Ben Battle)..
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