Sideshow Bruce all the rage for Sunday's Ashburton Free For All

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk 

With a quartet of this year's open class pacing stars off the scene, Sideshow Bruce has been installed a red hot favourite for the $25,000 Free For All at Ashburton on Sunday.

The Rakaia Seed Cleaning FFA Mobile Pace (3.58pm) is one of the day's features along with the $40,000 Group 3 Helen Pope Memorial 2YO Fillies Stakes (1.28pm) and the $25,000 Gallagher Insurance Ashburton Winter Cup (3.18pm).

Among the top-liners missing from the Free For All are four-year-old stars Got The Chocolates and Marketplace, as well as It's Tough and The Lazarus Effect. 

Marketplace is currently in Australia ahead of the Rising Sun at Albion Park in July while his arch rival, the Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained Got The Chocolates is having a spell after a whirlwind start to 2026 that's netted five wins in six starts.

His stablemate It's Tough, who was an impressive winner of the Hydroflow NZ Country Championship Final  last start, is also lining up big targets later in the year, as is The Lazarus Effect. 

In their absence and after drawing barrier two, the Bob Butt-trained and driven Sideshow Bruce opened a $1.45 favourite in the seven-horse field for the Free For All, with Iron Brigade the only other runner in single figures ($3.20). He's drawn the ace, right beside Sideshow Bruce. 

In their last meeting at Addington on May 15 in the Uncut Gems Geldings and Entires Classic it was the Steve and Amanda Telfer-trained Iron Brigade who got a great trip in the one-one and then got the better of the pace-making Sideshow Bruce to win by a length.

Iron Brigade was also prominent in last week's Country Championship Final at Addington. He finished fourth behind It's Tough, Franco Sinatra and Da Vinci.

Franco Sinatra ($11) and Da Vinci ($16) will front up again on Sunday along with the likes of Renegade ($15) who's fresh up for trainer Brendon Hill and Mo'unga ($20) for Regan Todd.

The most likely scenario is that Sideshow Bruce will use his gate speed to again spear to the lead over the 1700 metre trip. That would, in all likelihood, put Iron Brigade in the trail and in prime position to strike.

But races don't always pan out as expected. 

Could Franco Sinatra or Mo'unga for instance take the race by the horns from their wider draws and change its complexion entirely?

Franco Sinatra was very game off 30 metres in the Country Cups Championship while Mo'unga has shown good gate speed in the past and should be much improved going into his third run this campaign.

As the highest-rated horse in the race under the preferential barrier draw conditions he has to contend with starting from the outside of the front line.

On this week's The Box Seat opinion was divided on the race.

Greg O'Connor : "Sideshow Bruce has come up $1.45 - man that's short. At that price Mo'unga is the one that interests me."

Brittany Graham : "He's (Mo'unga) one on the way up while a few of the others have had good campaigns under their belts. It will be interesting to see how Renegade goes in his return."

Matt Markham : "I think we'll see the real Sideshow Bruce this week. It's a good wee field. Da Vinci was really good last Friday night, Franco Sinatra's on form, agree on Mo'unga and Iron Brigade is an interesting runner. I think he can continue to step up and there's every likelihood from one that he'll get the perfect trip."

To see the field and odds for Sunday's Free For All click here