Father Brian Glasheen
Soho Tribeca headed the qualifiers for the 2017 TABtouch Inter Dominion final after the three rounds of heats wound up at Gloucester Park last night.
Soho Tribeca was bred by Perth businessman Robert Watson and should the son of American Ideal win the final he will become the 99th Perth winner bred by Watson.
Tomorrow morning Father Brian Glasheen will officiate at the time honoured Inter Dominion Mass which he will conduct at Perth’s St Mary’s Cathedral and getting under way at 9:30am and all are welcome.
Known as The Pacing Priest Father Glasheen will carry out the blessing of the silks in endeavouring to impart some additional luck for participants in the $1.1 million final.
Father Glasheen in one of four Catholic priests to have bred a standardbred winner in Western Australia since trotting began in Perth in 1910. The other three are Father O'Donnell (1920's), Father Reidy (1920's) and Father Kelleher from Queensland (1930's).
Father Glasheen has only ever missed seeing one Inter Dominion Grand Final in the past 30 or so years and that was in 1992 when other commitments forced him to miss the final won by the Kim Prentice trained and driven Baltic Eagle.
Father Glasheen will miss this coming Friday’s Grand Final due to his having to be in Victoria for a wedding on the Saturday.
One can only wonder if the Kim Prentice trained and driven Soho Tribeca is therefore the omen bet for the 2017 Inter Dominion final.