Trans-Tasman battles heating up Across the Ditch
Across the Ditch • July 2nd, 2025 9:41 AM • 5 min read
Harness Racing - Adam Hamilton
It is another big weekend for the Kiwis in Queensland.
Stars like Captains Mistress, Rubira and Oscar Bonavena have been flying the flag with great success in recent weeks and all three step-out again on Saturday night at Albion Park – this time with some extra support.
Let’s start with the opening round of Inter Dominion heats where NZ’s best hopes are in the trotting series with young star Bet N Win and old gun Oscar Bonavena.
Both have drawn well for their style of racing in their first round heats.
Oscar Bonavena, who can get fiery and unravel when he draws the front row, will start from two-out on the second row (gate nine) in the first of the trotting heats (race five).
The nine-year-old looks the one to beat with London To A Brick (gate three) and the enigmatic Kiwi-bred Gus (12) the other key players.
Rowe Cup winner Bet N Win has drawn the pole in the second trotting heat where the only query is how much gate speed he will show and whether he can hold the front or trail the leader.
It’s a dream drawn to kick things for Team White and driver Bob Butt, especially with main danger Arcee Phoenix drawn outside the front (gate seven).
The lone Kiwi runner in the pacing series, Pinseeker, also has a kind draw (gate three) in his opening heat (race four), albeit against series hotpot Leap To Fame.
The Kiwis flavour starts early at Saturday’s meeting with star filly Captains Mistress is a hot favourite from barrier one in the Rising Sun Consolation.
Caretaker trainer Grant Dixon said he was “dumbfounded” the filly didn’t get a start in the Rising Sun itself.
Nathan Williamson will jet across again to take the reins this week after partnering her to a stunning Redcliffe Oaks win last Saturday.
In the feature of the night, the $300,000 Gr.1 Rising Sun, star Kiwi three-year-old Rubira is a $5.50 third favourite from gate three.
Mark and Nathan Purdon are chasing their second win in the race after Amazing Dream scored in the inaugural Rising Sun in 2021.
NZ looks set to have a second runner with the David and Stacey White-trained Betterthancash first emergency.
Star Victorian stablemates Bay Of Biscay and War Dan Buddy will be scratched unless a last-minute flight to Brisbane eventuates on Friday.
Greyhound Racing - Jared Timms
Group 1 racing returns to Sydney’s Wentworth Park on Saturday night when both the Peter Mosman Opal Final and the Vic Peters Classic Final headline a twelve-race program.
Trainer Steve Fitch will be well represented after preparing both Eriza Sparkles and Cumbria Benny to victories in Peter Mosman and Vic Peters heats respectively last Saturday night.
Eriza Sparkles pinged the lids in her heat, clocked and impressive 29.48 after leading throughout and Fitch is confident she’s up to a Group 1 final.
“I knew she would get to the line better tonight because last week, she was having her first 520m test,” he said after the race.
“This bitch has been the perfect greyhound from Day 1; she has never put a foot wrong.”
Having contested just five races since debuting, Eriza Sparkles will need to overcome Box 7 to break through for her maiden win at the highest level in the Peter Mosman Opal Final; an alley for which she is yet to be tested.
Cumbria Benny meanwhile will step out alongside an exciting field of chasers in the Vic Peters Classic Final including Destroying, who cruised home to also win his heat in 29.48.
Having finished a credible fifth in Group 1 company at The Q at his start prior, Destroying was reportedly flying ahead of last weekend’s heat.
“He has come back from Queensland in great shape,” Andy Lord said after the race.
“We gave Destroying a 440m trial at Goulburn on Tuesday and he clocked 24.50, time we were very happy with.
“If Destroying has a fault, it is that he tends to be a bit ‘over the top’ because he is so keen to race.”
Eriza Sparkles has opened a $2.70 favourite in early Peter Mosman Opal Final betting, while kennel mate Cumbria Benny was put up at odds of $8.50 to win the Vic Peter Classic Final. Destroying is an early $3.60 second elect in the same market.
Thoroughbred Racing - Nick Quinn
Kiwi trainers David and Emma-Lee Browne are coming off an amazing season and they are looking to continue the momentum into 2025/26 and are dreaming of winning the greatest race of all, the Melbourne Cup.
Now based at Pakenham, the stable has secured a start in the $8 million Lexus Melbourne Cup to be run at Flemington on Tuesday November 4 with Basilinna.
Knight’s Choice and Prince Of Penzance showed Pakenham trainer Emma-Lee Browne that anything is possible in a Melbourne Cup.
Basilinna secured a golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup with a 1.25 length victory in the Andrew Ramsden Stakes as a $17 chance.
As well as having Melbourne Cup aspirations, the stable is confident of a bounce back preparation for mare Pondalowie.
Pondalowie has some high-profile owners, she is part owned by one of Australia’s leading goalkeepers Fraser MacLaren who is currently applying his craft for Beaumaris and one of the countries brightest young managers in David “Gibbo” Gibson, who has been described as the nations next Ange Postecoglou.
Pondalowie is back in work after what was described as a “muddling campaign.” by Browne.
She is now reportedly bigger and stronger and will look to get over more ground this preparation.
Popular gallopers Le Zebra and Rhinoceros ran the quinella in the Bairnsdale Cup (1600m) and are both primed for big springs.
Le Zebra, the winner of the Bairnsdale Cup is heading to pre training and the campaign grand final is the $500,000 Carnival Country Final (1600m) at Flemington on November 6.
Rhinoceros back in work and will have a campaign targeting the country cups.
The stable has plenty of live chances this spring.
Statuario had a terrific campaign winning the Listed Elvis Thurgood Galilee Series Final (2400m) at Caulfield before running second in the Gr.1 SA Derby and he is about to resume and will target good tracks.
Another promising staying type Scary, is back in work after missing the autumn Derby’s with a virus and the stable reported that he is looking awesome.
“We have a top group of young horses headed by McGaw, Just Kick and Gabor and hopefully we can have another wildcard or two emerge” Browne said.
