Queensland stars no longer a Secret

PROUD Queenslanders Pete McMullen and Chantal Turpin feel like they are representing their state as much as themselves in the world’s richest harness race, the $2.1mil TAB Eureka, at Menangle tomorrow (Saturday).

Wisper A Secret is one of three Queensland-trained pacers in the elite 10-horse field. Shannon Price’s Sure Thing Captain and Grant Dixon’s Free Thinker are the others.

“You do feel some pride,” McMullen said. “It wasn’t that long ago Queensland was considered a bit of a backwater of Australian harness racing, but it’s really changed.

“To think we (Queensland) have 30 percent of the field in a race like this, and a chance to win it, it’s pretty special.

“It’s an exciting time for the state. We’ve got Leap To Fame, who is the best pacer in this part of the world, but it’s about more than just him, too. We’ve got lots of talent coming through, in our horses, trainers and drivers.”

Leap To Fame ran second in last year’s inaugural TAB Eureka and has since gone on to become one of the all-time greats in Aussie harness with wins in the Inter Dominion, Hunter Cup, Miracle Mile and Blacks A Fake.

Leap To Fame is due to resume at Albion Park on September 21 with major targets like the $300,000 Victoria Cup (Melton, October 12) and $NZ1mil NZ Cup (November 12) just around the corner.

McMullen and wife, Turpin, have enjoyed huge success largely in their home state, but are growing in confidence they can take it to a national stage with Wisper A Secret in the TAB Eureka.

Although it has been an exasperating yet exciting roller coaster just to get their stable star Wisper A Secret into the race, they want more.

And the punters think they can get more.

Since sneaking into the elite 10-horse field as an emergency on Monday due to the scratching of Fighter Command, Wisper A Secret’s odds have continued to tumble. He was $18 last week, $15 on Monday into $7.50 Wednesday and is now $6

“We’re just so thrilled to be in it,” Turpin said. “Even though it’s a race we aimed  at from the start of the year, it hits home once going to Sydney just how big the race is.

“I mean, it’s the richest (harness) race anywhere in the world.”

Wisper A Secret, a winner of 12 races and $355,161, has drawn gate six, but will come into five with Fighter Command out.

“It’s a good draw and he’s got early speed, too. Whether I pull that trigger is something I’ll have to think about,” McMullen said.

“It would be great to get across, but if we don’t then it’ll be a very long 2300m.

“We’re really happy with the horse. His run last week (at Menangle) was enormous to get as close as he did from so far back.

“We think he deserved a crack at this race and he’s good enough to run a huge race if things go his way.”

Wisper A Secret