QUEEN ON COURSE FOR QUEENSLAND RETURN

TALENTED mare Harlem Queen’s last visit to Queensland was eventful to say the least!

But her Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle is hoping this next sojourn next will result in a totally different outcome.

The recent Hawkesbury Listed Ladies Day Cup winner fronts up at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday as Doyle plots a path toward a return to Queensland in search of another Magic Millions feature.

Prior to capturing his maiden Group 1 with Private Harry at Rosehill in March, he won the $3m Sunlight Plate with that horse at a Magic Millions meeting which had to be transferred to the Sunshine Coast in January this year.

“Nathan is aiming Harlem Queen at the Subzero Quality (2200m) at the Gold Coast on January 17,” Doyle’s racing manager David Dyson said today.

The $1m middle-distance race for eligible Magic Millions horses (Harlem Queen was a $180,000 purchase for Calibre Racing at the 2023 MM yearling sale) is part of a mammoth $12.5m 10-race metropolitan stand-alone program.

On the strength of a Group 2 placing at Rosehill Gardens during Sydney’s autumn carnival, Harlem Queen started favorite back against her own age and sex in the Listed Princess Stakes (1600m) at Eagle Farm on April 26.

She finished 11t to Philia, and came out of the race with a laceration to her off foreleg – but it could have been so much worse.

The then three-year-old filly’s rider Taylor Marshall pleaded guilty to a reckless riding charge and was outed for three weeks after he veered outwards abruptly passing the 400m and caused interference to a number of runners and, in doing so, did his own mount’s chances no good either.

Harlem Queen was spelled and, at her second run back, beat a strong field in the Ladies Day Cup (1500m) at Hawkesbury on November 8.

Newcastle apprentice Ben Osmond was the mare’s rider then, and retains the mount.

“Ben couldn’t claim at Hawkesbury, and did a good job,” Dyson said.

“Saturday’s ATC Cup (2000m) is another Listed race where apprentices are unable to claim again, but Ben deserves to stay on her."

Meanwhile Hawkesbury trainer Blake Ryan is stepping Strawberry Impact up to 2000m at Rosehill on Saturday.

The consistent four-year-old will run in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap, with Tommy Berry again his rider.

Berry had the mount when Strawberry Impact started a clear favorite and ran third to Djapana in the same grade over 1600m at The Hunter meeting at Newcastle on November 15.

Provincial stables Jake Hull (Gosford), Mitch Beer and George Carpenter (Kembla Grange) and Nacim Dilmi (Wyong) were successful at today’s Wyong midweek fixture.

Hull’s Shalaa five-year-old Rathoran made a stunning return, storming home from last to take the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1300m) at $26.

The Beer-Carpenter team took the 3YO & Up Maiden Handicap (1000m) with first starter Harry The Thief ($8), and Dilmi’s hotpot I Am Carrot ($1.35) justified his short quote in the Provincial Maiden Plate (1350m).

Like a thief in the night, debutante Harry The Thief came from nowhere (last approaching the home turn) to nick the Maiden in the last couple of bounds.

The Harry Angel three-year-old was an $18,000 buy at last year’s Inglis HTBA sale in Sydney.

I Am Carrot fetched a bit more at $90,000 (last year’s Inglis Premier yearling sale in Melbourne), and the beautifully-bred three-year-old looks set for a successful campaign.

Domeland’s previous trainer Sara Ryan thought enough of the youngster to take him north for a Listed race at the Brisbane winter carnival, and her replacement Dilmi has now given him two starts for a first-up Gosford second and today’s breakthrough.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, NOVEMBER 27, 2025 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS