Final Group 1 of the Aussie season headlines Across the Ditch
Across the Ditch • June 26th, 2025 11:09 AM • 5 min read
Harness Racing - Adam Hamilton
A clash between two of Victoria’s best pacers at Melton on Saturday night will be a crucial pointer to the upcoming Queensland riches.
Former Chariots Of Fire winners Catch A Wave and Bay Of Biscay will meet for the first time in the 1720m free-for-all.
Both will then be in action at Albion Park a week later.
Catch A Wave heads into the opening round of Inter Dominion heats on the same night.
Bay Of Biscay has the barrier advantage from gate five with Catch A Wave two-out on the back row (gate nine).
It’s a huge night for Catch A Wave’s trainer Andy Gath with his troubled trotting star Callmethebreeze also returning from injury.
A bold showing in the 1720m trotting free-for-all will see the former Great Southern Star winner head north with Catch A Wave for the Inter Dominion trotting series.
Callmethebreeze hasn’t raced since galloping and losing all hope at Melton back in October last year.
The second of his two Melton trials was much better last Tuesday week and hopes are high for this week’s racing return.
Callmethebreeze has drawn ideally in gate three.
At Redcliffe on Saturday night, the Kiwi flavour is strong with young star Captains Mistress and Rubira leading the charge.
Rubira is favourite in a strong Gr.3 Redcliffe Derby, courtesy of drawing barrier one. Key rivals Path To Greatness (gate six), Fate Awaits (eight) and Mac Bon (11) have all drawn awkwardly.
It’s a different story for the brilliant Captains Mistress at her second start for Team Dixon in the Gr.3 Redcliffe Oaks.
She will start from outside the back row (gate 11), while the flying Soho Americano (gate one) and NSW Oaks winner Cool And Classy (gate five) fared much better.
The strongest Kiwi interest in the Gr.2 Redcliffe Cup will be around last year’s NZ Cup contestant, Aroda, a stablemate of Leap To Fame.
Aroda led throughout to win last year’s Redcliffe Cup but goes back to a 10m handicap this time.
He is one of four runners in the Cup for Grant Dixon in his quest to win the race for a fifth time.
Thoroughbred Racing - Nick Quinn
Group 1 action heads to Eagle Farm on Saturday with the running of The Tattersall's Tiara over 1400m.
It is the final Group 1 of the racing season.
This year there are four runners in single figure odds with a stack of the contenders coming through the Gr.2 Dane Ripper Stakes won by Floozie.
Those runners include Kosasana (8th), Olentia (10th), Firestorm (3rd), Abounding (6th), Tashi (2nd), Coco Jamboo (13th), Arctic Glamour (11th), El Morzillo (4th) and Gumdrops (5th).
Floozie comes into the race having defeated the majority of the field and is chasing a fifth straight win after saluting as a well backed favorite in three of those wins.
Waller is chasing his 20th Group 1 of the season while McDonald is looking for his 22nd Group 1 win of the season and 16th in Australia.
The Waller team is well represented with Firestorm ($4.20 favourite) joined by Konasana ($23), Olentia ($17) and Gumdrops ($35).
The Tattersall's Tiara was first run in 1989 won by La Posette when it was known as the Winter Stakes. 2011 was the first running as the Tiara.
It was a Listed race from 1992 to 1995, a Group 3 up to 2005, Group 2 in 2006 and G1 from 2007 until now.
Most favourite punters remember the race fondly from 2024 with classy mare Bella Nipotina winning easily as a $2 favourite.
The iron mare had an amazing Queensland carnival contesting all four of the feature races1st (Doomben 10000), 2nd (Kingsford Smith Cup), 2nd (Stradbroke), 1st (Tiara). She would go on to win an even bigger race at Randwick in October.
Aside from the feature race, there is good racing throughout the day.
Autumn Boy has been well backed to win Race 4 including early bets of $1725.93 at $4.05 and $500 at $3.80.
There has been early money for Don Diego De Vaga in Race 5 including $1000 at $5.50 and $900 at $5.
There has been good support at longer odds for Barber in the final race of the day including $650 at $18.
