From the Callers Box

We all witnessed history at the famous Albion Park Paceway.

The decorated Breakfast Creek oval has been racing on its current 1000m track since 1983, so we celebrate 40 years of racing next year.

That’s going to be a special celebration when it arrives.

Many current APHRC members will have fond memories of the opening night when the establishment of a 1000m left-handed track in October 1983 opened its doors to a massive and heaving crowd, leading to the venue being dubbed “the speed pacing capital of Australia”.

Amazingly, with the evolution of time we haven’t witnessed a sub 1:50 mile at “The Creek” until last month.

The first pacer to break 1:50 under race conditions was the locally prepared and driven Blacksadance who paced the mile in 1:49.2 on September 10 when successful in the Garrard’s Horse & Hound Open Pace.

For those that missed it, it was a performance of combined power and immense brutality!

Blacksadance sat parked during the opening half in 54.6 seconds before powering clear of his rivals down the backstraight to score convincingly while running his final half in a identical 54.6 seconds.

During the recent TAB Constellations, the Jason Grimson prepared I Cast No Shadow paced a time of 1:49.1 in a public trial but as we know, trial times aren’t registered as official records.

The track record performance of Blacksadance didn’t come as a shock, his winning efforts prior indicated it was only a matter time before he paced the glorious sub 1:50 mile.

And naturally, he was the punters elect at odds of $1.50 for every dollar invested on the big striding gelding.

So, the first official sub 1:50 mile is now in the books and Blacksadance holds a special piece of Albion Park history.

But it’s more than that.

Time is vital and it represents us.

Any track record is special, but more so at a metropolitan venue because it represents the entire state in many ways.

So, it’s equally special that the record belongs to a Queensland bred, born, trained and driven pacer.

A true Queenslander!

Congratulations to Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen along with owner/breeder John Polson.

Adding more merit to the achievement is the fact that Chantal and Pete are standing the sire of Blacksadance this coming breeding season, A Rocknroll Dance is now based at their property, Somerset Farms.

As we know, records are meant to be broken but how long with this current mark (1:49.2) stand for?

How long will it be before a pacer goes inside 1:49?

Only time will tell.

Remember, we have the Summer Carnival, TAB Constellations and the Inter Dominion all coming up within the next 12 months or so.

But the one constant, we’ll all remember who the first pacer was to break the 1:50 barrier at “The Creek”.

That can’t be taken away from Blacksadance.

We salute you!

Until next time.

Chris Barsby