Inter Dominion legend backs Brisbane series home

By Jordan Gerrans

Inter Dominion legend Mark Purdon has backed the popular concept to rise back to its former glory ahead of the grand final occasion on Saturday evening at Albion Park. 

The 2025 series is the start of the Inter Dominion Championship being back in Queensland for the next three years, with the prizemoney on offer increasing in both the pacing and trotting sections. 

The Purdon name and stable is synonymous with the ID series.

Mark is a Hall of Famer already for his ID feats and is aiming to again add to his sparkling resume in Brisbane. 

After a couple of indifferent performances in the heats, the Purdon barn will be represented on grand final night when Oscar Bonavena starts from the second line in the square gaiters event.

Mark Purdon trains in partnership with his son Nathan these days.

Mark is one of the greatest ever participants in the history of the series as a trainer and a driver.

The respected horseman from across the ditch has prepared nine Grand Final winners, three pacers and six trotters.

He also has seven victories in the bike on his resume, as well. 

The Inter Dominion made a triumphant return to Queensland back in 2023. 

The 2025 series is the kick-off point of Albion Park hosting the event for the next two years, which the legendary figure in the sport says is a positive development for the entire industry. 

“I think it is great,” Mark said.

“The prizemoney - that is very good, they have taken it to another level and where it needs to be.

“It has always been a great series and I would like to see it come back to New Zealand as well at some stage, just how it used to be.

“I have great memories of the Inter Dominion; it has always been a great carnival between the Australians and New Zealanders together.

“You get to know each other better and there is great comradery, it has always been a wonderful series that has stood the test of time.

“I hope it retains the mantle that it used to have.”

The Pacing Championship will boast a $1 million Final this Saturday evening with $500,000 on offer in the Final for the trotters.

It will be the $500,000 purse that the father-and-son team of Mark and Nathan will be shooting for with their grand old campaigner Oscar Bonavena.

Oscar Bonavena has produced a sixth and seventh placed finish in the heats, but it was just enough to sneak into the decider.

Oscar Bonavena was aided by the new bonus point system in this year’s ID series for sectional times, which he grabbed three across the two heats, to force his way in.

At nine years of age and having put together a lacklustre few weeks in the heats, Oscar Bonavena faces a tough ask to join some of Mark’s former ID champions such as Pride Of Petite, Buster Hanover, I Can Doosit, Smolda and Lazarus, among others. 

But, as of Monday afternoon, the Kiwi trotter is a $6.50 shot with the bookmakers after drawing 12 on the second row. 

He is on the fourth line of betting with Arcee Phoenix the $2.40 public elect.

Speaking before the series commenced, Mark said Oscar Bonavena is a horse that holds a special place in his heart after winning 34 races in a career that has been curtailed by injury on several occasions.

“He has been a special horse for us,” Mark said.

“He is still racing great, but you wouldn’t expect him to be as good as what he was three or four years earlier.

“He has won over $1 million and not a lot of trotters do that.

“He has probably cost himself earning a bit more with some of his antics in some of the bigger races.”

Co-trainer Nathan noted post Sunday’s barrier draw that Adam Sanderson would retain the engagement with Oscar Bonavena in Saturday’s decider.

“Dad’s got a real soft spot for this horse, he always has,” Nathan Purdon said earlier this year.

Sanderson has been the pilot in the trotters two ID heats as well as his two lead-in runs to the series where he finished in the top two on both occasions.

Oscar Bonavena started as the $2.70 favourite in Saturday’s second round of heats and galloped in the early stages after starting from the inside draw.

The 36-year-old Sanderson did enough to work the veteran Kiwi into the race in the latter stages and pick up valuable points.