Excitement continues to build towards Australasia’s premier harness racing event, the Inter Dominion.
As the Inter Dominion returns to the Sunshine State for the first time since the 2009, Racing Queensland has unveiled the race conditions for the series, which commence on Friday, December 1 at Albion Park.
A new initiative for this year’s event is the $5,000 minimum prize money guarantee, available to all horses that complete either the Trotting or Pacing Championship.
Horses will be ranked in the following order in the Trotting Championship:
- Defending champion;
- Winners of any Australian Trotting Masters race (2023 season);
- Winners of open age Australian and New Zealand Group 1 races, excluding races restricted by class or sex, from January 1, 2023;
- Placegetters from 2023 Elitlopett in order of winner, second then third; and
- Golden Ticket holders as winner of any of the following races in the 2023 season:
- Australasian Trotters Championship (Melton);
- Kilmore Trotting Cup (Kilmore);
- Tony McGrath Cup (Menangle);
- Spring Sprint (Albion Park); and
- Kaikoura Trotting FFA (NZ).
Similarly, horses for the Pacing Championship will be ranked in the following order:
- Defending champion;
- Winners of any Australian Grand Circuit race (2023 season);
- Winners of open age Australian and New Zealand Group 1 races, excluding races restricted by class or sex, from January 1, 2023; and
- Golden Ticket holders as winner of any of the following races in the 2023 season:
- The Eureka (Menangle);
- James Brennan Memorial (Gloucester Park);
- Kilmore Pacing Cup (Kilmore);
- The Battle Of Beersheba (Menangle);
- Queensland Cup (Albion Park); and
- Kaikoura Cup (NZ).
Further, it has been announced that a Golden Ticket holder not previously nominated for ID23 may be accepted as a late entry if half the late entry fee is paid.
The remaining horses for both series will be ranked in order of entry at the discretion of RQ handicappers based primarily on form in the 2023 season, including feature races.
Round 1 of the 2023 Inter Dominion Championship kicks off on Friday, December 1, 2023.
The second and third rounds of qualifiers will follow on December 5 and December 9 respectively, culminating with both pacing and trotting finals on Saturday, December 16.
The Pacing Inter Dominion Final will carry a $500,000 purse, while the Trotting Inter Dominion Final will be run for $250,000.
Nominations close at 12 noon (AEST) on Monday, September 25.
Click here for the full conditions for the Trotting Championship.
Click here for the full conditions for the Pacing Championship.