As part of the countdown series until the running of the 2023 Ladbrokes Inter Dominion Championship at The Creek, Albion Park, ADAM HAMILTON will update the key happenings around Australasia’s premier harness racing event each week.
TWO of the big guns of the Ladbrokes Inter Dominion pacing series Swayzee and Spirit Of St Louis will lock horns as part of a stellar Menangle meeting on Sunday.
It’s an important race in two countries with the star pair also headed across the ditch to the iconic New Zealand Cup at Addington on November 14.
Swayzee, who beat Leap To Fame in the Blacks A Fake at Albion on July 22, is unbeaten in seven runs since joining Jason Grimson’s stable. He’s $6.50 second favourite for the pacing final.
Swayzee resumed with an easy Menangle win despite doing the work outside the leader last Saturday week.
Spirit Of St Louis, runner-up in two Miracle Miles at Menangle, was one of the biggest hard luck stories of the Victoria Cup at his latest run.
“We were thrilled with how he went in the Victoria Cup, just not the result. He and Encipher were probably the two biggest hard luck stories. They both had nowhere to go and were full of running,” part-owner Aaron Bain said.
Swayzee has gate four with Spirit Of St Louis in barrier eight at Menangle on Saturday night.
Both are expected to stay in NZ and tackle the Group 1 NZ Free-For-All on November 17 before returning for the start of the Inter Dominion on December 1.
Spirit Of St Louis will be contesting his third Inter Dominion series. He snared a win, a second and a third through the heats before finishing eighth in the 2021 final won on protest by Boncel Benjamin.
In Melbourne last year, Spirit Of St Louis won his second round heat, but lost form badly and wasn’t himself when last in the final won by I Cast No Shadow.
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GLAMOUR trotting mare Queen Elida will have just one more lead-up run ahead of the Inter Dominion.
Trainer Brent Lilley confirmed his stable star, who brilliantly won the Maori Miss free-for-all at Melton last Friday night, would tackle the $30,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot at Melton on November 17.
It almost certainly means a long-awaited return stoush with Just Believe, who is also being set for the race as part of his Inter Dominion build-up.
“She’s had plenty of racing and that race two weeks out from the series will be ideal,” Lilley said.
“It’ll be good to meet Just Believe again and see where we are at … it’s so long since we raced each other.”
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UNDERRATED Grand Circuit performer Mach Dan showed he was on target for another Inter Dominion campaign with his all-the-way Geelong Cup win last Saturday night
It will be the six-year-old’s third crack at the Inter Dominion.
The Emma Stewart-trained gelding won two heats and finished third in the other of last year’s Victorian Inter Dominion. He struck trouble and ran 10th in the final.
Back in 2021, Mach Dan was in the care of NSW trainer Kevin Pizzuto when he ran fifth, seventh and third in his heats before finishing second in the consolation.
The dual Newcastle Mile winner made the most of a great draw and his abundance of early speed to lead, dictate and post the 24th win of his career in the Geelong Cup.
The hit favourite was Rock N Roll Doo, who was crossed at the start, had to sit parked and finished 4.5m away in third spot.
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GIVE him a draw and he is lethal.
Brilliant Queensland pacer Blacksdance returned to winning form in sparkling style at Albion Park last Saturday night.
One of a huge five wins on the night for trainer Chantal Turpin, the six-year-old led throughout in a 1min52sec mile rate for 1660m.
It was his 26th career win and his first since taking out the Wondais Mate at Albion Park on July 1.
On the same card, Majestic Harry, who ran a terrific fifth in last year’s Victorian Inter Dominion trotting final, returned from a break with a win.
The multi-talented Brittany Graham took the reins for her father, Darrel.
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THE much-travelled Mach Da Vinci looks to be racing himself towards another Queensland raid.
The six-year-old has shown some his best form in Sunshine State, but looked terrific winning ther feature free-for-all at Menangle in a blistering 1min49.4sec mile for trainer Peter Hanson and driver Jim Douglass last Saturday night.
Mach Da Vinci, who had a long stint with Shane Graham in Queensland, has shown glimpses of his very best form with three Menangle wins from his past seven starts.
He faces a big test from a wide draw (gate 10) against big guns Swayzee (gate four) and Spirit Of St Louis (eight) at Menangle on Sunday.
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Australasia’s premier harness racing event will take centre stage at Albion Park this December. Don’t miss your chance to be trackside at Queensland’s first Inter Dominion in over 20 years!
There’s a range of ticket and hospitality options available for each night. Click on the link below to view info and packages.
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