Group action galore Across the Ditch
Across the Ditch • November 28th, 2025 10:11 AM • 5 min read
Harness Racing - Adam Hamilton
Leap To Fame is missing, but the first open class feature of the Brisbane Summer Carnival should be a ripper on Saturday night.
Former Inter Dominion, Miracle Mile and TAB Eureka winner Don Hugo is the star of the field, but the back row draw over 1660m in the $75,000 Gr.2 Sunshine Sprint will be a real challenge.
In contrast, star speedster Hi Manameisjeff, looks likely to roll to the lead from gate four and take a power of running down around Albion Park.
Remember, two starts back Hi Manameisjeff led and ran a close second to Kingman in the Gr.1 Victoria Cup with Leap To Fame back in third place.
Driver Cam Hart cautioned punters not to take any negatives from his only run since, a sixth at Menangle.
“It was actually a huge run. He burned early and couldn’t lead and then sat outside the leader and only got tired in the last 50-80m. I thought he went super,” he said.
“It looks like a perfect race for him this time if he can find the front, which I think he can.
“I’m confident he’ll get across The Janitor early and then Frankie Ferocious (drawn one) will be happy to take a trail on us.
“In front, around Albion Park, he’ll take some catching in a sprint race.
“Go back to last year’s Sunshine Sprint and he sat outside Leap To Fame and ran third.”
The Janitor, who has rapidly emerged as Queensland’s second-best pacer, is drawn to be a key player.
He made a costly gallop early in the Gr.1 Len Smith Mile in September and has returned home for three sparkling Albion Park wins.
Team Dixon gave Leap To Fame this week off after he only arrived back from his NZ trip late last week, but the champion pacer is expected to defend his crown in next Saturday’s $250,000 Gr.1 Blacks A Fake.
Down at Melton, top young driver Ryan Sanderson has a great chance to build on by far his biggest season with key drives in the two $100,000 Vicbred finals.
He drives War Dan Buddy from the pole in the 4YO entires and geldings final where stablemate Miki To Success (gate nine) is the main danger.
In the 4YO mares’ final, Sanderson again has the pole with Kiwi-bred mare Kiss, who looks a class above her rivals.
Over in Perth, the countdown to the $450,000 Gr.1 WA Pacing Cup continues at Gloucester Park on Friday.
WA pacing’s three biggest guns, Minstrel, Mister Smartee and Magnificent Storm, will all clash in the $100,000 Gr.2 JP Stratton Cup.
Thoroughbred Racing - Nick Quinn
It shapes as an intriguing clash between two-time defending champion Overpass and rising star local Jokers Grin.
Overpass resumed from a spell with an eye catching fourth in the Gr.1 Everest behind superstar Ka Ying Rising in the $20 million feature.
Both runners absolutely fly at Ascot
Overpass has had five starts at the track for four wins, while Jokers Grin has had the eight starts for six wins and two second placings.
Outside of the two fancied runners there is plenty of class with up-and-coming local filly Luana Miss who has won four of her six career starts and will be worth following going forward and Victorian visitors Benedetta and Rey Magnerio.
Some early bets on the race $1000 on Overpass at $2.85, $700 on Jokers Grin at $2.75 and $600 on Benedetta at $18.
She has had 10 career starts for six wins and four second placings.
Early betting activity has seen $1400 on She's A Hustler at $3.25 and $846 on Berkshire Breeze to run a place at $3.
Some sad news from the greyhound racing world with the passing of superstar Fernando Bale at 12 years of age.
Fernando Bale won 8 Group 1 races and went on to be a huge success at stud.
At stud his offspring have won almost 55,000 races and $205 million in prize money.
Greyhound Racing - Jared Timms
The Melbourne Cup Final headlines a huge program at Sandown Park on Saturday night and a fittingly strong field has been confirmed following last week’s bumper heats.
Winning his way into the final after recording a slick 29.07, Accredited stamped himself as a key Melbourne Cup contender and is poised to deliver young trainer Ned McDonald the biggest win of his career so far.
“When he punched through and found the front, his 600m form showed he wasn’t going to get run down,” the 25-year-old told GRV.
“These are the races we want to be in, and this is what we do it for.”
Accredited has drawn into the Melbourne Cup Final field in Box 3, opening a $4.20 third-elect in betting behind the classy Canya Meyhem ($3.50) and Valenzuala ($3.80), who will leave from boxes 2 and 1 respectively.
The Sandown Park program also features a huge edition of the Bold Trease Final that features some of Australia’s best stayers, including Without A Trace, Aydens Warrior and Late Night News.
