By Adam Hamilton
It was a perfect start for Team Purdon’s Queensland raid at Albion Park last night.
Mark and Nathan Purdon’s two raiders, Oscar Bonavena and Rubira, both won impressively.
And Nathan Purdon was quick to add the pair had significant room to improve, too.
Old Oscar Bonavena showed all his trademark speed and class when patiently driven by Adam Sanderson.
The nine-year-old stalked a hot speed, loomed into the race coming to the final bend and cruised home to win without being extended by 4.4m in a slick 1min55.7sec mile rate for 2138m.
Oscar Bonavena will likely have one more lead-up run before the first round of Inter Dominion heats at Albion Park on July 5.
If he can build on last night, there’s no doubt the star veteran will be one of the hardest to beat in the $500,000 Inter Dominion trotting final on July 19.
Later, Team Purdon’s emerging three-year-old Rubira blazed his way to slick all-the-way win in a 1min52.9sec mile rate for 1660m.
It was a significant win because Rubira beat Queensland’s top three-year-old and pre-post Derby favourite Fate Awaits, who had to sit outside the winner.
Rubira has the South-East and Redcliffe Derbys before the Group 1 Queensland Derby on July 19.
The Kiwi flavour extended last night to a sparkling debut Queensland win for star Kiwi filly Captains Mistress.
Now in the care of Grant Dixon, Captains Mistress bolted in by 9.1m against older mares in a 1min53.1sec mile rate for 1660m.
Her main target is the Group 1 Queensland Oaks.
Dixon had a big night with his NZ Cup runner of last year, Aroda, winning the feature, the Flashing Red Discretionary, a race he ran sixth in last year.
It was Dixon quinella with Free Thinker finishing second.
Dixon also snared the quinella in the Queensland Sun last night with three-year-old Path To Greatness leading throughout to beat stablemate Charge Ahead.
Path To Greatness booked a spot in the $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun on July 5 through last night’s win.
Another key Rising Sun player will be former Kiwi The Janitor, who returned from a break with an arrogant win in race two last night for Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen.
