The latest trans-Tasman battle is set to be waged in Auckland over the next three weeks in the Inter Dominion Pacing Championship with a well-travelled Australian pair hoping it'll be third time lucky.
Rangy 9-year-old pacer San Carlo and Bec Bartley – two-time Inter Dominion finalists - have been dubbed rural Victoria's dynamic duo.
They hail from Kialla, about two hours from Melbourne.
“I think I annoy him too much at times and he gets sick of me,” Bartley admits of their relationship.
The pair has been on the road three weeks with the 28-year-old hoping to continue the trend of Australian reinswomen landing feature races in this country.
Then of course there was Michelle Payne, from Ballarat in Victoria, winning the Melbourne Cup, both traditionally male preserves.
“There's a lot more girls out there now and it's probably starting to go the way that the girls are starting to dominate,” Bartley said.
Dominating best describes San Carlo's racing style and that's earned the country cups king something of a cult following.
“Yeah there's quite a few people that absolutely love him,” Bartley said.
The aggression of San Carlo is probably not mirrored with Bartley’s driving.
“Probably not an aggressive driver but he likes to do it tough and be out there doing all the hard work, so he usually drives the race for me,” she said.
Aussies dominated the series when it was last held in Auckland eight years ago, with a Victorian first past the post.
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