Oscar wins round one

Last night’s Cambridge Trotters Flying Mile wasn’t the ideal pipe opener for next week’s Tab Trot. The harness racing contest only attracted five runners but the finish was a small sample of the great Anzac rivalry. And when reinforcements arrive next week and the draws are allocated to the eight runners the match ups will be exciting.

In the feature trot Aussie visitor Queen Elida (Love You) led from the outside with Oscar Bonavena (Majestic Son) dropping in to get the perfect trip. Once the field turned for home Oscar Bonavena came up the passing lane and with ears pricked beat Queen Elida by three quarters of a length.

“He got the perfect trip and that suits him because we know he’s got that great turn of foot. I think tonight’s run will just top him off for next week,” Purdon who trains in partnership with son Nathan told Jo Stevens on Trackchat.

Purdon said he felt Oscar Bonavena was at 85% fitness but with the run he was likely to get, that would be good enough to be a winning chance.

The winning time was 1-55.5 with the last 800 metres cut out in 56.5.

It was the second time Oscar Bonavena has won this race, he took it out in 2019 while Mark has now won the Cambridge Trotters Flying Mile four times. His other two winners were Buster Hanover in 1997 and I Can Doosit in 2011.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink