From the Callers Box – August 2026

The Inter Dominion has come and gone for another year. And another pair of champions were crowned. Captains Mistress (Pacers) and Gus (Trotters). Both were fantastic in their own way.

Captains Mistress became the first mare since Jodies Babe scored a famous victory at Gloucester Park back in 1989, thirty-seven years ago for Bob Knight and Scott Stewart. And the efforts of Captains Mistress should not go unnoticed.

Firstly, she took down a champion in Leap To Fame. Her path to the Grand Final wasn’t traditional, winning the Rising Sun and securing a Golden Ticket on the opening night of the series before contesting the Kevin Thomas 4yo Feature on the second night.
Winning the Grand Final was unforgettable. There was no easy path taken for this mighty four-year-old mare.

Before her campaign officially got underway, she trialled in 1:48.3 behind her stablemate and fellow Inter Dominion aspirant Dangerous on June 25, that time obliterated the track record of Leap To Fame (1:48.6) but isn’t recognised given it was a trial. Although beaten in the trial, if she had of come off the back of the leader, she would’ve scored easily and shattered the 1:48 barrier.

In the Rising Sun, the Captain treacherous mare led throughout in a time of 1:50.3 for 2138m, eclipsing the previous mark of Leap To Fame at 1:51.0. The following week in the Kevin Thomas, she recorded a winning mile rate of 1:53.7. And then in the Inter Dominion Grand Final, her winning time was another track record when stopping the clock at 1:51.8 for 2680, again lowering the mark of 1:52.8 which was jointly held by Leap To Fame and Don Hugo. Just let those times sink in!

Captains Mistress was phenomenal – primed perfectly by trainer Jason Grimson and expertly driven by Cam Hart. On the other side, Gus was equally awesome. Carrying the hopes of a state who was winless throughout the fifty-year history of Inter Dominion Trotting Championships, Gus was the series favourite from start to finish. He dominated on the opening night of the series before finishing fourth in the second round, leaving many a little perplexed heading into the Grand Finale the following week. But trainer Chantal Turpin and driver Pete McMullen knew exactly where he was at, and he delivered in spades on July 18 in front of a massive crowd. Gus is a trailblazer in so many ways.

Congratulations to both sets of connections.

Bring on 2027.

Until next time.