“BORDER TROTS” 01/08/2022.
While “Border Trots” is focussed on harness happenings in the Greater Ipswich Footprint, there are stories achievements outside the circle which must be read In all walks of life , there are levels of achievement by which participants are judged. 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 from a News Corp publication, and is penned by Adam Hamilton. (commence italics)
GRANT Dixon is poised to enter truly rarefied air.
The champion Queensland harness racing trainer-driver is on the verge of a remarkable 5000th driving win.
No Queenslander has ever come close.
And Dixon, sitting on 4992 wins, will become just the fourth Australasian driver to reach the phenomenal milestone. Only Victorian Hall of Famers Chris Alford (7700 wins), the late Gavin Lang (6303) wins and Chris Lewis 5900 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 (Trista’s Dixon wife and he) 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 of 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 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.”
· Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.
DIXON’S DRIVING DOMINANCE
Career wins: 4992 (as of July 24)
Most wins in a single season: 242 in 2009/10
Career earnings (of his drives): $28 million
Career winning strike rate: 15%
Most wins on a single horse: Our Overanova (48 wins)
Group 1 wins: 16
Biggest wins:
· 2023 Group 1 Queensland Derby (Leap To Fame)
· 2019 Group 1 Blacks A Fake (Colt Thirty One)
· 2022 Group 1 NSW Derby (Leap To Fame)
· 2018 Group 1 Victoria Derby (Colt Thirty One)
· 2012 Group 1 Australian Gold 2YO final (Majestic Mach)
· 1994 Group 1 NSW Derby (Jeremy Lee)
NOTE: All figures current as of July 24, 2022.
(close italics)
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 8 wins for the week. Hayden Barnes and Nathan Dawson up there level pegging on 5, while Taleah McMullen landed 4 thanks to a great treble in the last three races at Marburg. Peter Greig led the trainers 5 to 4 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) snd 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)..
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