It’s been billed as The Cockroaches vs the Mexicans and those south of the border are brimming with confidence.
“I think we’ll smash them,” said Brendan Baker, the Bendigo Harness Racing Club’s marketing chief who is Victoria’s team manager for a new series that will see Victoria and New South Wales’ best drivers go toe-to-toe.
The state of origin rivalry has been born from the burgeoning bind between two sister clubs, an alignment in its infancy that plays on Bendigo and Bathurst’s gold rush and trotting histories.
Victoria’s team for tomorrow’s inaugural Bendigo/Bathurst Drivers Invitational features Chris Alford as captain of Team Victoria aided by Greg Sugars, Kate Gath, Josh Duggan and Ellen Tormey.
They will have to win on foreign soil, with the first invitational to take place at Bathurst tomorrow.
“We think we can beat them on their own turf,” Baker said. “I’m confident in my team. I think we have the best drivers in Australia in Victoria and I expect they will go to Bathurst and handle the New South Wales drivers with ease.”
The friendly rivalry should pave the way for a big night’s racing.
“This is the first time we have brought everyone together. Bathurst has a new track and with it being the night before Australia Day they should get a good crowd,” Baker said.
“It is not every day you get to see Chris Alford, Greg Sugars and a handful of the best drivers in Australia facing off.”
It’s hoped the sister-city relationship will in the long-term benefit both clubs. Next year Bendigo will host the drivers invitational, while the two clubs will cross-promote their respective major meetings, Bathurst’s Gold Crown and Bendigo’s Gold Cup.
“If anyone from Bathurst visits Bendigo we want them to know we are a sister club and that the trots is a natural affinity between the two cities,” Baker said. “That works both ways and also benefits Bathurst, especially at their gold crown, and also us at our gold cup.”
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
