All hail the queen as Captains Mistress dethrones Leap To Fame in Inter Dominion pacing final

Captains Mistress is the first mare
in 37 years to beat the boys in the
Inter Dominion pacing final.

by Adam Hamilton

Racing doesn’t get any better.

In one of the greatest Inter Dominions of all time, the “King” was dethroned by the “Queen” on Saturday (July 18) at Albion Park.

Brilliant young Kiwi-bred mare Captains Mistress led throughout to end Leap To Fame’s unbeaten record across three Inter Dominion campaigns.

But Leap To Fame’s performance was arguably the best of his career in defeat.

Captains Mistress took a full second off the 2,680-meter track record with a scorching 1:51.8 mile rate for 2,680 meters.

Leap To Fame refused to lie down, getting within 1.2 meters at the finish after everything went wrong, especially in the first half of the race.

Veteran Max Delight was trapped three-wide and going nowhere while Leap To Fame was on his back and the champ was dragged back to near last when Max Delight had to drag back.

Meanwhile, Captains Mistress worked to the front and was rolling along in her comfort zone.

Leap To Fame eventually came three-wide around the field to get outside Captains Mistress, but was already under pressure when he did.

“I wanted to make him work when he was out there, I had to,” Captains Mistress’ driver Cam Hart said.

“She was cruising down the back straight, it was only about the 400 meters when he was able to drop in behind me when I got a bit worried.

“It then came down to a matter of whether she would tough it out because you knew he would.

“Every time he came at her, she kept finding. She had to be a champion to win and she is.”

Leap To Fame’s trainer/driver Grant Dixon said, “He went great. You couldn’t ask any more of him.”

Captains Mistress became the first mare in 37 years to beat the boys in the Inter Dominion pacing final. That was Jodie’s Babe in 1989.

She joins Jodie’s Babe as just the second mare in the 95th running of the Inter Dominion pacing final.

Trainer Jason Grimson also put his name in the record books as the youngest trainer, at just 32, to win a third final.

He also became just the third trainer to win finals with three different pacers after his wins with Boncel Benjamin (2021) and I Cast No Shadow (2022). The others are Hall of Famers Brian Hancock and Mark Purdon.

Captains Mistress’ owner Mick Boots had previously talked of retiring the mare to the breeding barn at the end of this year, but Grimson said he will convince him to race on for another season.

“I want to win a Miracle Mile with her,” Grimson said.

GUS TAKES INTER DOMINION TROTTING FINAL

Brilliant trotter Gus created history winning Saturday’s $500,000 Group 1 Inter Dominion trotting final.

He became the first Queensland-trained trotter to win the final in its 50th running.

And it’s been four years in the making for Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen.

“The ability has always been there, but just needed to crack him,” Turpin said. “I just love this horse; he means the world to me.”

McMullen added with a laugh, “Chantal’s said she loves him more than me, but I guess he needs a driver.

“Seriously though, I’m so proud of Chantal and the team. He’s taken a lot of time, hard work, and patience and rewarded us.

“Growing up, you dream of winning an Inter Dominion, I just didn’t think it would be on a trotter.

“He’s a bit of a history maker this guy, winning that big Group 1 double in New Zealand late last year, too.”

McMullen resisted temptation to use Gus’ great draw [barrier 2].

“His best asset is his speed and I opted to drive him for that, so I let him find his feet and settle early,” he said.

“He’s just so fast, but he showed he’s tough tonight, too. He really had to dig in late to catch the leader and then hold off the others.”

Gus held on to beat the find of the series, Gotfeelingsyouknow, with another outsider Toro Stride finishing third.

“We’ll enjoy this and then look to take him back to New Zealand again in November,” McMullen said.

LUKE MCCARTHY WINS HIS EIGHTH QUEENSLAND OAKS

Champion driver Luke McCarthy added to his dominance of the Group 1 Queensland Oaks with an eighth win in the classic Saturday night.

Last year he drove the Mick Stanley-trained Soho Americano to upset Captains Mistress.

On Saturday night, he trained and drove the much-traveled Ripples to prove the toughest staying in a frantically run Oaks.

Ripples’ 1:52.8 mile rate for 2,138 meters took two seconds off the race record.

And moved her owner Mick Harvey, who also races open-class star Kingman, to declare her the best filly in Australia.

“When they went so hard, it brought her right into the race from the back row,” McCarthy said. “She’s all class and really deserved this one after huge runs at Bathurst and in the NSW Oaks.”

It was McCarthy’s 90th Group 1 win in Australia alone.

He then made it 91 in the next race when champion mare Eye Keep Smiling won her third successive Group 1 Golden Girl.

It was as much a trainer triumph as it was driving, given the mare took a long time to get mojo back after a failed attempt to breed from her through embryo transfer last year.

“It’s only the past three weeks I’ve really thought I’ve got her back,” McCarthy said. “These top horses are so special, it’s very rewarding to win races like this, especially three in a row.”

Amazingly, Eye Keep Smiling is already a mother. Her only foal, a Bettors Delight yearling, was sold in March and is with top New Zealand trainers Cran and Chrissie Dalgety.

BRAD HEWITT OVERCAME ADVERSITY TO QUEENSLAND DERBY

Racing can be cruel and kind.

Top NSW trainer/driver Brad Hewitt experienced both this week, starting with a major injury to arguably the best horse he has trained, Hollywood Strip.

The NSW Derby winner was $1.50 (for a $1 bet) to add the Queensland Derby to his CV, but fractured a pastern midweek.

Remarkably, Hewitt still won the Derby last night with his second-stringer, Palladium.

“We’re still a bit deflated, but you have to dust yourself off as this showed,” he said. “He’s been going super and I thought he could win, just not having that sort of run [outside the leader].”

Hollywood Strip, who boasts 13 wins from 15 starts, will be sidelined for at least the rest of this year after having screws inserted in his pastern.

Palladium dug deep to beat Yottie, who followed him everywhere and had his chance, with leader Maxo Mighty holding on bravely for third.

FINAL DEADLINE MAY RACE BACK HOME IN NEW ZEALAND

Queensland trainer Shannon Price is weighing-up an international trip with her exciting 4-year-old Final Deadline after his sizzling win in last night’s Group 3 4YO Championship.

The New Zealand-bred pacer could return to his homeland for three feature targets later this year.

The seed was first planted when Final Deadline began brilliantly from a standing-start to win the Group 2 Redcliffe Cup three starts back.

“It was a confidence-booster as far as the standing-start New Zealand Cup goes,” she said. “If we went across, we’d also take in the [Group 1] New Zealand free-for-all and their big 4-year-old race [the Group 1 Christian Cullen].

“We love this horse. He’s just kept improving since we got him from New Zealand and he’s potentially the best horse I’ve trained.

“Perth is another option for their big 4-year-old races at the end of the year, but New Zealand is the preferred option if they maintain their big prize money.”

Final Deadline’s win was his seventh from just 11 starts this season, along with another three seconds.

Driven superbly by Adam Sanderson, Final Deadline benefitted from an early speed burn between leader Fate Awaits and another key runner Always B Cool and wore down a very brave Fate Awaits in the last 70 meters to win.