The heats are complete, the final field is assembled and the draw is now official.
Welcome to the 2015 TABTOUCH Inter Dominion Grand Final at Gloucester Park, Perth.
The sports flagship event has returned to its spiritual home after first being staged in the west back in 1936 before going around the southern hemisphere on a rotational basis.
Since the triumph of Logan Derby back in 1936, a lot has changed and many champions have been crowned while many others have fallen given the arduous conditions of the series.
Traditionally, the series would take place during a two week period consisting of three heats and a final.
While the format has changed dramatically in the modern era, Western Australian officials made it clear the series would return to its original roots this year going forward.
The Inter Dominion will be staged in Perth for the next three years.
And the ‘buzz’ is back!
The three heats in the first week over varying distances have been fast paced, exciting and just plain brutal with vital points up for grabs as connections vie for a place in the rich final.
The 2015 Grand Final offers the richest prizemoney the series has ever seen with a cool $1.3 million up for grabs.
And the interest is high, both locally and abroad.
International exposure was gained with the Irish based pacer Meadowbranch DJ making the trip from Dublin to Perth while North American stars Tim Tetrick and Heather Vitale have provided extra bling to the carnival with their strong involvement.
Tetrick is a world champion reinsman who carries a massive following on and off the track and has competed in a number of races during the carnival while Vitale is a reporter with a huge following owing to her bubbly and charismatic personality in which she educates and excites her fans.
Vitale has played a key role in lead-up and during the series in which she is filing reports for her own show “Post Time”.
Unfortunately, Meadowbranch DJ didn’t qualify for the final and Tetrick hasn’t secured a drive in the final but the message of Australian harness racing has reached a far wider audience.
And the final will be an outstanding contest.
Three horses in Lennytheshark, Philadelphia Man and Devendra each claimed two of three heats contested but this final runs deep with chances and the barrier draw has certainly enhanced many.
Lennytheshark, the series fancy has landed gate three in the final and commands the highest respect but following his defeat in the final round against local star Lovers Delight, rival connections have an extra spring in their step.
Fellow Victorian trained pacer Philadelphia Man also tasted defeat in the final qualifying round when classy mare Libertybelle Midfrew lowered his colours following her all the way victory and will start alongside Lennytheshark after landing gate four in the final.
Both horses are in excellent form and have the services of champion horsemen Chris Alford and Gavin Lang respectively.
The last Victorian trained pacer to win an Inter Dominion Grand Final was Shakamaker back in 2000.
Tasmanian bred pacer Devendra is looking at providing the Apple Isle with its third straight Inter Dominion trophy following on from the success of his stablemate Beautide who has dominated in Sydney during the past two editions.
Devendra has shown great versatility during the heats but will need luck after drawing gate eight, wide off the front-line in the 2536m final.
Queensland free-legged pacer Avonnova went winless during the heats but fought tenaciously in each of his three starts but will require luck after landing gate seven while the Victorian trained Flaming Flutter also failed to secure a heat victory but his second-line draw gives him a blow-out chance because he draws to follow out brilliant beginner Lovers Delight.
Local pacers make up half the field with Lovers Delight (1), Waylade (2), Our Blackbird (5), Libertybelle Midfrew (6) and My Hard Copy (9) looking to repel the interstate invaders.
The Stephen Reed trained Lovers Delight has been a ‘find’ during the series and after scoring a determined victory over Lennytheshark in the final round plus landing the inside gate, he has become a definite threat.
Both Waylade and My Hard Copy will represent leading trainer Gary Hall who is chasing another hometown Inter Dominion title following the success of recently retired champion Im Themightyquinn back in 2012.
While many expected Waylade to be his top seed, the Washington VC gelding has gone winless during the heats while WA Cup winner My Hard Copy set a track record at Bunbury when successful on night two.
The only female pacer in the rich feature is Libertybelle Midfrew, a multiple feature race winner who proved her class with a gritty front-running victory in the final round of heats defeating both Philadelphia Man and Waylade.
The last mare to win an Inter Dominion Grand Final was Jodie’s Babe back in 1989, ironically, that series was also staged at Gloucester Park.
Our Blackbird is hoping to provide leading owners Merv and Meg Butterworth with another feature race trophy this season following the success of Arden Rooney in the New Zealand Cup last month.
Although winless during the qualifying heats, Our Blackbird performed well in each of his starts for trainer Ross Olivieri and driver Stuart McDonald.
The Inter Dominion Grand Final is race 7 and will be run at 2.50pm local time.
