After a frantic start to the year with “mega” race meetings, we have a little hiatus before Queensland’s increasingly huge Constellations winter carnival.
And the Victorians will be there in force.
It’s not like Victorians haven’t played a key role in recent years with the likes of Just Believe, Arcee Phoenix, Ladies In Red and Loucasso, but everything points to a “next level” presence at Albion Park in July.
It was underlined when nominations were released for the Ladbrokes Inter Dominion pacing and trotting series’ last Friday, but also goes way beyond that.
Unsurprisingly, our strongest presence will be in the Inter Dominion trotting series, which we have won the past two held at Albion Park with Just Believe (December, 2023) and Arcee Phoenix in July, last year.
Arcee Phoenix is well on the way to being back to defend his crown and be a key part of the Victoria assault, along with Jilliby Ballerini, last Saturday night’s brilliant Macarthur Mile winner Rockinwithattitude and comeback mare Susan Is Her Name.
They look the biggest dangers to early favourite and local star Gus.
In the pacing ranks, Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin’s trio Bay Of Biscay, War Dan Buddy and Miki To Success look like Victoria’s best hopes of place money behind the mighty Leap To Fame.
They also have last year’s TAB Eureka runner-up Fox Dan nominated.
Then there is the big, raw and gifted Fighter Command, should trainer Jess Tubbs opt to give the Inter Dominion a crack.
Beyond the Inter Dominion, there are a plethora of other Group 1 feature races, like the Rising Sun, Great Square, Queensland Oaks and Derby and the Protostar.
Victorians galore will chase all of those features.
Fox Dan, brilliant three-year-old Loucasso and maybe even the untapped Keayang Renegade could tackle the $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun on July 4, where champion mare Captains Mistress, who was breathtaking again at Menangle last Saturday night, and boom Kiwi Marketplace are the early favourites.
Already, Stewart and Tonkin have flagged last Wednesday night’s Bendigo winner Cardigan Gem for the $500,000 Group 1 Protostar, the race they won with Loucasso last year.
“We’ve got some really exciting babies and would love to have a second (Protostar) runner, too,” Stewart said.
Loucasso’s later than expected start to 2026 means the Queensland Derby, and maybe the Rising Sun before that, are logical targets for him.
The Queensland Oaks also looks an ideal pathway for last Saturday night’s dominant NSW Oaks winner Arrhythmia and stablemate Willows Girl.
The $150,000 Group 1 Great Square could see the strongest Victorian flavour of the lot.
Already Tracy The Jet, Mecarno and Keayang Dreamlover – all Victorians – have been the first invited.
July is a great time for Victorians to escape the cold to sunny Queensland, especially if they’re chasing some serious races, too.
The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.
