WHILE Border Trots is focussed on harness happenings in the Greater Ipswich footprint, there are stories of achievements outside the circle which must be read in all walks of life.
There is a small core of trainers and drivers in Queensland who are journeymen or women, well able to earn a comfortable living from their equine skills. Grant Dixon is a level above that. His record indicates that he is a ‘Master Craftsman’.
The following is by courtesy of News Corp and is penned by Adam Hamilton.
Grant Dixon is poised to enter truly rarefied air.
The champion Queensland harness racing trainer-driver is on the verge of a remarkable 5,000th driving win.
No Queenslander has ever come close.
And Dixon, sitting on 4,992 wins, will become just the fourth Australasian driver to reach the phenomenal milestone. Only Victorian Hall of Famers Chris Alford (7,700 wins), the late Gavin Lang (6,303 wins) and Chris Lewis (5,900 wins) have done so.
The next closest current Queensland driver is Shane Graham on 2912 wins.
Dixon, the 49-year-old son of the late and great horseman Bill Dixon, started his driving career in 1988.
“Dad had been a top trainer and driver in Townsville and made the move down to Brisbane a few years earlier,” Dixon recalled. “It took me a bit of time to get ticking when I first started driving. I’d say it was a slow, gradual climb.”
Dixon has been aware of the looming milestone for a while, but he’s not the sort of guy who sweats that stuff.
“There’s been a bit of talk about it, but I’ve had plenty to focus on with the Carnival here without thinking about that,” he said.
“It’s a while back when I first became aware of it, and it seems like it’s taken ages to get to it.
“We [Dixon and his wife, Trista] have cut back our team a bit and we’re not getting to as many meetings as we used to … I’ll get there eventually.”
For all his modesty, Dixon admits achieving something only legends like Lang and Alford have done in this part of the world would be satisfying.
“We all know how good they are. They’ve always been the benchmark,” he said.
“They’re definitely two of the best drivers I’ve driven against.
“To be talked about with them is definitely something to be proud of.”
It is very rare for Dixon to take horses interstate, but when he does, he is a force to be reckoned with as shown by recent wins like Leap To Fame’s NSW Derby win in February and Colt Thirty One’s successful Victoria Derby raid in 2018.
Following Leap To Fame completing the NSW – Queensland Derby double at Albion Park last Saturday, Dixon looks set for more time interstate.
“We have some thinking to do on exactly where he goes and which races we target because there are so many options, but they are in NSW and Victoria,” he said.
It is a great time for Dixon and his wife Trista with such a huge personal milestone looming and the champion horseman declaring Leap To Fame “potentially the best horse we’ve had.”
“I think he’s potentially our best. Time will tell I guess, but he’s just such a wonderful racehorse who you can do work on and then he’ll just switch off and relax again,” Dixon said.
“Last Saturday was the most I’ve asked of him in a race, I really went for him in that last bit, and he gave me plenty. That says a lot about him.”
Totem Pole
As The Constellations of 2022 draw to a close, so does the local impact re-appear on the Queensland scene. On the driver’s board, Pete McMullen resumes top billing with eight wins for the week. Hayden Barnes and Nathan Dawson are up there level pegging on five, while Taleah McMullen landed four thanks to a great treble in the last three races at Marburg.
Peter Greig led the trainers five to four over John McMullen, while the most pleasing performance goes to emerging trainer, Ben Crosby, scoring with Captain Shuffles and Ferocious Frankie, Nathan Dawson and Pete McMullen shared the driving assignments. Ipswich Factor 35/64.
Resultsville
Redcliffe 25/07.. Misty Creek (Hayden Barnes for Lola Weidemann).. Captain Braveheart (Lachie Manzelmann for Ron Sallis).. Our Dolly (Nathan Dawson for Warren Hinze).. Forgive Me (Pete McMullen for Peter Greig).. Tick Of The Clock (Jordan Topping for David Rodger).
Albion Park 26/07.. Ysmir (Trent Moffat).. King Of The North (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin).. She Got Sass (Tim Gillespie).. Miki Magic (Pete McMullen for Peter Greig).. Future Assured (Trent Dawson).. Awaywego (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin).. Redcliffe 27/07.. Doolittle Dexter (Brendan Barnes for Darren Ebert).. Vermont (Hayden Barnes for Michael Nutley).. Harry Kane (Hayden Barnes).
Redcliffe 28/07.. The Crom (Angus Garrard for Kay Crone)..Rocco Variety (Hayden Barnes for Lola Weidemann).. {Dead heat Faireachdainn (Nathan Dawson for Mitchell Dawson) and Studleigh Mark (Taleah McMullen for John McMullen).. Captain Shuffles (Nathan Dawson for Ben Crosby).. Albion Park 29/07.. Bomb Suit (Luke Whittaker for Jason Carkeet).. Uptown Beach Girl (Nathan Dawson for Donny Smith).. Teddy Disco (Nathan Dawson for Shawn Grimsey).. Pebble Sands (Matt Elkins for Greg Elkins).. Frankie Ferocious (Pete McMullen for Ben Crosby).. Jacobs Thunder (Matt Elkins for Dan Russell).
Albion Park 30/07.. Jumping Jack Jimmy (Narissa McMullen for Mark Rees).. Slick Sophie (Narissa McMullen for Steve Cini).. Marburg 31/07.. Clares Fool (Pete McMullen for Graham Dwyer).. Joy Maker (Pete McMullen for Peter Greig).. Beef City Starzzz (Peter Greig).. My Secret Beach (Hayden Barnes for Lola Weidemann).. Miss Mia (Pete McMullen for Peter Greig).. Ima Classy Girl (Taleah McMullen for John McMullen).. Studleigh Mark (Taleah McMullen for John McMullen).. Yarraman Rocky (Taleah McMullen for John McMullen).
