Captains Mistress 2026 Rising Sun Presentation
INTER Dominions evolve quickly and there were as many questions as answers on opening night of the Ladbrokes Brisbane Inter Dominion last night.
ADAM HAMILTON reflects on the key moments, performances, drives and questions.
THE X FACTOR
On an amazing night of racing, champion mare CAPTAIN MISTRESS stole the show.
For weeks, the talk has been about whether she could win the Rising Sun and get the golden ticket into the Inter Dominion final for another clash with Leap To Fame.
She didn’t just win, she made a statement and sent a message to the Leap To Fame team.
Captains Mistress obliterated Leap To Fame’s 2138m track record taking 0.7sec off with a scorching 1min50.3sec mile rate.
Driver Cam Hart declared she’s good enough to beat Leap To Fame and he’d know what it takes having done so three previous times in Group 1 races with Swayzee.
Captains Mistress stormed into second favouritism for the final at $4.50, which actually looks like good value against Leap To Fame at $1.60.
They should be closer together – and certainly will be if Captains Mistress gets a better draw on final night.
STORY OF THE NIGHT
The remarkable Jess Tubbs did it again.
Raw and untapped pacer Fighter Command was the project horse for Tubbs and her husband, the late Greg Sugars.
After tossing up whether to tackle the Inter Dominion, Tubbs gave it a crack as much for Fighter Command to get some experience as anything.
But the big and burly five-year-old produced one of the best performances of his career so far when he stormed home from near last to win second pacing heat and effectively booked his spot in the final.
Remember Fighter Command almost died two years ago with a twisted bowel.
What a moment last night was.
RUN OF THE NIGHT
Captains Mistress without question. She was mind blowing.
But Fighter Command’s barnstorming win was a clear second.
DRIVE OF THE NIGHT
There were some gems, but it was hard to split Jimmy Rattray daring on Nyack and Jason Lee’s pearler on Jilliby Dreamlover.
Rattray, who drove Beautide to win the 2014 and ’15 pacing finals, threw caution to the wind and blasted Nyack off the gate from an outside draw to lead and then took a trail on Leap To Fame.
Despite the early burn, Nyack gave the champ a real fight in the home straight in a career-best performance.
Lee’s drive was tactically brilliant and well thought out, charging out to lead on Jilliby Dreamlover and then opting to take a sit on Tracy The Jet.
That pushed classy Kiwi mare Dash Dosh back to three pegs and effectively ended her chances, while Jilliby Dreamlover used the sprint lane to win impressively.
ON TARGET
Leap To Fame did what was needed, while the other defending champion, trotter Arcee Phoenix, ran a fantastic third after sitting parked in his heat.
He’s right on song, but will have to overcome the awesome presence of Gus, who was the most arrogant winner of all last night’s heats.
The Janitor did enough in his heat, so too did Victorian trotters Im Bobby and Keayang Stuka behind Gus.
JURY OUT
The dilemma of the night was what to make of Susan Is Her Name’s run.
Touted as the main danger to Gus in the trotting final, she ran fifth after settling well on the pace in a leader dominated race.
It was a pass mark and she will improve after 15 months out, but she will need to and quickly.
THE SNEAKY RUNS
What about the ripper run of the much travelled and one-time pin-up pacer Captain Ravishing.
Now with his ninth trainer, Lisa Lewis, Captain Ravishing worked early, overraced noticeably and still finished a ripper fifth to Fighter Command.
No wonder Lewis was all smiles after the run.
What a story if he could sneak into the final.
He’s not in the Inter Dominion, but Crackerjack will be next year.
Nobody missed his monstrous run from last and wide in the Great Square. He’s going places.
D-DAY
It comes quickly for some horses into Inter Dominions, especially with only two rounds of heats.
Buzz pacer Dangerous, emerging trotter Lovemeto and star Tassie pacer Triedtotellya are precariously placed.
Dangerous was good from an impossible spot when seventh on night one. Importantly, he has the pole next Saturday.
Lovemeto led and looked like a big winning chance before getting rough and galloping on the last bend. He’s not enjoying the track, but does have a nice draw again (gate five) in round two.
Triedtotellya was a sound fourth from a gun draw, but steps into a much harder field next Saturday and will need a top three finish to safely make the final.
It won’t be easy against the Leap To Fame, The Janitor, Max Delight and others.
