Classy stars primed to perform Across the Ditch
Across the Ditch • December 12th, 2025 9:37 AM • 5 min read
Harness Racing - Adam Hamilton
There will be strong Kiwi interest in Minstrel’s quest to successfully defend his $450,000 Gr.1 WA Pacing Cup crown at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Bred and still largely owned in NZ, the rising nine-year-old has drawn ideally in gate two at his fifth start in WA’s most prestigious race.
Minstrel could not have been more impressive winning the JP Stratton Cup last Friday week, emphatically beating his two key rivals Mister Smartee and Magnificent Storm.
“He’s sharper than ever and is racing as well as he ever has,” driver Deni Roberts said.
Minstrel is a $2.10 favourite from gate two with Magnificent Storm (gate eight, $5.50) and Mister Smartee (gate 12, $4.50) the main dangers.
What happens at the start will be interesting with Magnificent Storm having blinding gate speed, especially from wide draws.
On Saturday night, champion pacer Leap To Fame will make his final appearance of the year as a surprise starter in Saturday night’s Christmas Cup at Albion Park.
Fresh from being crowned Australia’s Grand Circuit champion for a record-equalling third time, Leap To Fame will have his 22nd start for the year. He’s won 15 times with five seconds and a third and banked $A1,743,024.
Although beaten in last Saturday night’s Gr.1 Blacks A Fake, the rising seven-year-old ran up to his career-best form on all measures after covering an extra 34m and sitting outside the leader The Janitor in a track record-equalling 1min52.8sec mile rate for 2680m.
Fans got excited briefly early this week when Leap To Fame’s older half-brother and long-time rival Swayzee was also nominated for the Christmas Cup, but his trainer Jason Grimson opted not to take on “Larry” first-up.
The watch is on where Swayzee goes now as Grimson looks for a race to decide whether he will travel to NZ for the $250,000 Gr.1 Auckland Cup on New Year’s Eve.
With no Swayzee, Leap To Fame should be too classy on Saturday night.
If there is a danger, it would be the talented Speak The Truth, who returned from a spell with a solid fifth in last Saturday night’s Blacks A Fake. He will be fitter, has gate three and draws inside Leap To Fame (five).
Greyhound Racing - Jared Timms
Group One glory shapes as the immediate target for the exciting and progressive He’s A Pearl.
Having continued to improve with racing since debuting in July, He’s A Pearl recorded the biggest win of his career in last month’s Richmond Puppy Auction Classic, before returning to Wentworth Park last Saturday night for his fifth victory at the famous venue.
Co-trainer Andy Lord, who has been understandably pleased with the progression of the blueblood chaser in recent months, revealed that the dog will be nominated in this weekend’s Paul Wheeler Heats (Group One final on December 20th), with a view towards January’s National Derby series.
“I think He’s A Pearl is ready to take on all comers,” Lord said after Saturday’s victory.
“After the Paul Wheeler, we can get him ready for the age-restricted National Derby Heats at Wenty on January 17.”
By Fernando Bale and out of the first litter for the Lords’ superstar bitch, She’s A Pearl, He’s A Pearl has already amassed 7 wins and two minors from his 15 trips to the races, for more than AU$176,000 in prizemoney.
He’s A Pearl will leave from Box 8 in Saturday Night’s Paul Wheeler Heat 6, set to jump as Race 9 at Wentworth Park.
Thoroughbred Racing - Nick Quinn
A huge day at Pakenham on Saturday with the running of the $1 Million Ladbrokes Supernova and the time honored $300,00 Ladbrokes Pakenham Cup.
The Joe Pride trained Private Eye dominates the market for the Supernova.
Punters are keen to get behind the class galloper with early bets including $1000 at $2.55, $1380, $1000 and $1000 at $2.45, $1000 at $2.35, $1000 at $2.33, $1000 at $2.30.
Private Eye has won 14 races and $12,718,290 in prizemoney.
Defending champion Here To Shock will have to overcome gate 13.
Etna Rosso from the Chris Waller stable opened the early favourite for the Pakenham Cup.
He is chasing his first win since the 2024 Newcastle Cup but has been a model of consistency.
Etna Rosso has finished in the minor money at his past five starts and seven of his past nine.
A fascinating runner is Smokin' Romans who won this race way back in 2021 as a $3.50 favourite.
The following spring he would win the Gr.3 Naturalism Stakes as an $8 chance and the Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes at odds of $21 for Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace, before he finished seventh in the Caulfield Cup as a $3.90 favourite behind Durston and seventh in the Melbourne Cup at odds of $17 behind Gold Trip.
The hardy stayer has added the 2024 Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the 2025 Warrnambool Cup to his CV since.
He has battled this spring, with his best performance a fourth placing in the Herbert Power Stakes.
He's back for his third tilt at the Pakenham Cup, having also finished fourth last year, and will carry 60 kilograms on Saturday.
Ciaron Maher has won two of the last four Pakenham Cups with Smokin' Romans in 2021 and Ashrun in 2023 and has three in this year's race.
In other racing news, popular galloper Front Page has been retired. He won the Kosciuszko in 2022 and 2023 The 9-year-old won eight races from 32 career starts and collected over $3.6 Million in prizemoney and bonuses.
Throughout his career he was trained by Geoff Duryea and then Matthew Dale, winning one Kosciuszko for both trainer.
