Nathan was more then happy when RUBIRA and OSCAR BONAVENA both completed their training tasks yesterday as they begin their Australian winter campaigns at Albion Park on Saturday.
‘They have travelled over and adapted great. We wre happy with their trials.We let Rubira run to the line today and he will improve further with Saturday but he is not more than one run away from his best on his work”
The main aim the $A150,000 Queensland Derby on July 19 but there is the $52,000 Redcliffe Derby (June 28) and South East Derby (July 5) coming up and if necessary there is a Derby Qualifier on July 11.
As he has done on some past Queensland campaigns, top driver Adam Sanderson will steer both horses in their leadup races.
Adam Sanderson
Nathan is particularly happy with Oscar Bonavena who is at $2.45 to win the $28,000 Tony Veivers Memorial free for all at 8.57pm
“At one stage of his recent racing he was just bulletproof. Sometimes lately he has just lost the plot a bit. He is really settled in here happy within himself which is a very good sign he is ready to peak ”
The Interdominion Series and hopefully the final on July 19 is his task but though he starts from the outside of the second row on Saturday,fair to say he would have the measure of his rivals anywhere near his best.
Rubira is in a similar position his main rival seeming to be Fate Awaits a Grant Dixon contender who took on the top Australian three year olds in his last prep.
Meanwhile Brooke,still chasing her first driving win in New Zealand, has added a second string to that bow.
She is now the lessee-trainer-driver of THE BETTOR DEAL who runs at 5.57 at Alexandra Park at $7 on Friday.
She had hopes for The Bettor Deal on May 30 after his work during that week and he went a respectable race that suggests he is a live hope this week.
Brooke was a successful trainer and driver in Australia before coming across to join the Purdon stable. She spent last week in Queensland with the team there but has been back to put the finishing touches on The Bettor Deal for Friday.
To win her first races in New Zealand as a trainer and a driver would be icing on the cake.
Main pic. Oscar Bonavena-getting along swimmingly in Brisbane