McMullen will drive the in-form mare while her trainer partner Lethaby watches from the sidelines.
That may be why they have very different thoughts leading to the $25,970 race for the mares.
Because McMullen has to be on the bike, the 24-year-old says she tries not to think too much about the winning streak and not put more pressure on the situation to keep it going.
For Lethaby, he believes that the team should enjoy the winning run while they can, as he clearly understands that it is not the same every day.
“Hopefully we can continue,” Lethaby said.
Regardless of the emotions leading up to Saturday’s race, the McMullen and Lethaby combination have a smart horse on their hands in Tremendous Sensation.
The Kiwi-bred pacer has achieved five of her recent wins at Albion Park, with the other coming at Redcliffe.
McMullen has been grumpy on every occasion in the six winning series.
“She did a fantastic job,” McMullen said.
“She’s very easy to get along with and we love having her here. It’s nice to have her and I try not to worry about the picket fence we have with her. It would be nice if we could continue this.”
“The better you get to know these horses, the easier it is when you go on the track.
“She has given me a lot of confidence while driving, which is very nice.
“She’s not someone who will win for long, but she gives me confidence that she can get the job done.”
Funnily enough, while Tremendous Sensation has been a revelation since lobbying in the Sunshine State, she has yet to race in a mare event.
She will do this for the first time on Saturday in the Queen Of The Creek, a feature event for the ladies during The Starlights.
Tremendous Sensation starts on Saturday evening from the three in the front row over the mile.
The partnership between McMullen and Lethaby belies any praise for Lethaby’s father for choosing the clever New Zealand mare to ultimately end up at their Glamorgan Vale operation.
In early September she finished second in her first two starts and the daughter of Betting Line has not been defeated since.
She became a two-time winner after wins at Forbury and Addington and her recent success has taken her to eight wins from 24 starts.
“I just noticed she had a bit of gate speed,” Lethaby said of her NZ runs.
“And she looked like she could get some work done on her runs, so I thought the shorter miles here might suit her.
“She came into this with a high rating, so I didn’t expect her to do it so quickly.
“She has been in tough conditions every time here in Queensland, but with every start she seems to go one step further.”
The stable and connections had luck with Red Right Hand through 2023 and 2024 before the gelding was finally sold to the US.
“Trent’s dad was looking for a new horse for us and he arranged the whole purchase of her and she just showed up,” McMullen said.
“Trent’s father is originally from New Zealand and knows the people there, which helped him choose this horse.
“Maybe he’s had some luck with them because they come out here and do a pretty good job for us.”
Tremendous Sensation will have to compete in the mares’ main event on Saturday evening, but Lethaby is confident she can do so.
The 28-year-old conditioner pointed to her win from three starts ahead of the talented Fernco Nel as a nod to her class and strong form lines.
“It took her a few starts to get used to the racing style,” he said.
“But she really showed up at every start.
“She will have to go one step further in the coming weeks, but she has endured every run well. She is our stable star.”
After the Queen of the Creek, the stable has the opportunity to move on to the $52,000 Forever Gold at Albion Park in another mare race seven days later.
Tremendous Sensation is the only racehorse the team of McMullen and Lethaby are currently working on as they turn their attention to their next crop of yearlings.
They train from the training complex of McMullen’s father John.
McMullen said her entire family was still at her best when her older brother Pete took Gus to a double feature in New Zealand earlier this month.
Through Jordaan Gerrans for Racing Queensland
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